uld have lived out here all summer!"

"That's what we'd like to do," replied the Ethels earnestly. "We'll let
you come whenever you want to."

Roger gave a sniff, but the girls knew from his longing gaze that he was
quite as eager as they to fit it up for a day camp even if he was
nearly eighteen and going to college next autumn.

When the exploring tour was over they gathered in their usual meeting
place--Dorothy's attic--and discussed the gardens which had taken so
firm a hold on the girls' imaginations.

"There'll be a small garden in our back yard as usual," said Roger in a
tone that admitted of no dispute.

"And a small one in Dorothy's present back yard and a LARGE one on Miss
Smith's farm," added Tom, who had confirmed with his own eyes the
glowing tales that Della had brought home to him.

"I suppose we may all have a chance at all of these institutions?"
demanded James.

"Your mother may have something to say about your attentions to your own
garden," suggested Helen pointedly.

"I won't slight it, but I've really got to have a finger in this pie if
all of you are going to work at it!"

"Well, you shall. Calm yourself," and Roger patted him with a soothing
hand. "You may do all the digging I promised the girls I'd do."

A howl of laughter at James's expense made the attic ring.

James appeared quite undisturbed.

"I'm ready to do my share," he insisted placidly. "Why don't we make
plans of the gardens now?"

"Methodical old James always has a good idea," commended Tom. "Is there
any brown paper around these precincts, Dorothy?"

"Must it be brown?"

"Any color, but big sheets."

"I see. There is plenty," and she spread it on the table where James had
done so much pasting when they were making boxes in which to pack their
presents for the war orphans.

"Now, then, Roger, the first thing for us to do is to see--"

"With our mind's eye, Horatio?"

"--how these gardens are going to look. Take your pencil in hand and
draw us a sketch of your backyard as it is now, old man."

"That's easy," commented Roger. "Here are the kitchen steps; and here is
the drying green, and back of that is the vegetable garden and around it
flower beds and more over here next the fence."

"It's rather messy looking as it is," commented Ethel Brown. "We never
have changed it from the way the previous tenant laid it out."

"The drying green isn't half large enough for the washing for our big
family," added Helen