ink so?" suggested
Bet. "Of course it's a little early to think of buying presents, but
it's a good idea to have them on hand."

Mrs. Lester smiled at the girl's eagerness and her charming manner.

"I saw one in the window that pleased me very much, but you have
everything so nicely arranged I hate to disturb it."

"You needn't worry about that. We'd just love to sell it to you," and
Bet looked toward Shirley, who had dropped her work and was already
getting the print.

Then Shirley opened her portfolio and the two women looked over the
pictures.

"That view of the Hudson is very pretty but I think the print of the
gulls suits me better. Yes, that's the one I will take."

Mrs. Carey chose a landscape. Shirley called it "At Dawn."

"This scene is right around here, isn't it?" she asked.

"Yes, it's right down there by Ritter's pond."

"I love it!" exclaimed the woman. "You've made it prettier than the
real scene."

"I'm not so sure about that, Mrs. Carey. You should see it just at
sunrise or on a misty morning. It's perfect!"

"That's one nice thing about Shirley. Her pictures are an improvement
on nature," laughed Bet.

Kit and Joy, who had been whispering for some time in the back room now
appeared with a tray and teapot.

Bet gave them a ravishing smile of approval, and over tea and cakes the
girls amused their callers with a recital of their doings.

"Will every customer get a cup of tea?" laughed Mrs. Lester.

"We haven't quite decided that yet. We want to have it cozy and homey
as well as business-like."

"I'm sure after this reception we will always want to drop in when we
are down town," said Mrs. Lester. "It's the coziest shop I've ever
seen."

So well did their first customers get acquainted with the girls that
they knew their plans pretty well and Shirley had been asked to bring
her camera to Mrs. Lester's home and get a series of pictures of her
two small children.

"I planned on having a man come out from New York, but I'm very sure
you can do as well. The children are apt to be shy with grown ups."

An appointment was made and as the door closed behind them the four
chums dropped into their chairs and stared at each other without
speaking. Then Joy came to life with a dance. "Come on Kit, I just
have to dance. If I don't I'll explode into a million pieces."

But Shirley was holding the two five-dollar bills in her hand looking
at them as if she had never seen such a t