h plenty of rich milk and doughnuts and
home-made gingerbread to finish up with. Little Tim's thin face seemed
to be almost bulging when he had done; and he ate his sixth doughnut in
gallant style.

He was nearly wild with delight, too, late that afternoon, when he got
permission to fish the famous Ellison trout pool; and he came back in
time for supper with a fine string of the fish, brilliantly spotted
fellows, which Mrs. Ellison fried to a crisp for the crew of boy farmers
when their day's work was over.

There came a little knock at the door when they were eating supper, and
Bess Thornton, come for a pitcher of milk, looked in at the group of
merry youngsters.

"My, what fun!" she exclaimed, and speaking half to herself added, "I
wish I lived here too. Gran' said--"

"What's that? Why, I wish you did live here," exclaimed Mrs. Ellison,
stepping back with the pitcher in her hands at the girl's words, and
looking into her bright, eager face with eyes that suddenly moistened.
"I wish you did," she repeated. "Why don't you ever come in, when you
come for the milk? Come in now and have some supper with the boys?"

But the girl started back, almost timidly.

"Oh, I can't," she said, "I didn't think what I was saying. Gran' says
never to stay--to hurry back. She doesn't like to have me come for the
milk, but she can't come, herself."

And, true to her instructions, she departed promptly, when she had
received the pitcher, well filled--almost double what the money she had
brought would usually buy.

"She's a queer little sprite," was Mrs. Ellison's comment, as she
watched her go down the path; "but there's something fine and brave
about her. Who wouldn't be queer, living all alone with old Granny
Thornton?"

The two weeks' farming that John Ellison had reckoned on was through
with in five days, thanks to the energy of the volunteer crew. They
enjoyed it, too; the work in the bright fields; the jolly meals at the
Ellison table; the nights in the big hay-barn, with blankets spread in
the mow; the evening's swim in the stream just before supper.

And, on the sixth day, John and James Ellison went away on the wagon,
with clear consciences and light hearts, and with Mrs. Ellison waving a
farewell to them from the door of the shed. It was cramped quarters for
them all in the wagon, with the camping equipment, jolting along the
country roads; and they walked most of the hills. But the journey was a
jubilant one, and t