lained the actor. "And there is a real
door, too, that opens and shuts. The orchard, as you see, is only
painted."

And so it was, but in such a way as to appear very pretty when set up
and lighted.

"Here's a real tree!" cried Bunny, who was rummaging about back of the
stacked-up scenery.

"Well, it's meant to look like a real tree," said Mr. Treadwell, "but it
isn't, really. It's a pretty good imitation of a peach tree, and I
suppose you could use it in your show, children."

"Peaches don't grow in the winter," objected Bunny, who had been on his
grandfather's farm often enough to know this.

"We could make believe our show was in summer," said Sue.

"Yes, or you could make believe your play took place down south, where
it's always warm," added Mart, "and you could have this for an orange
tree."

"Oh, no! That wouldn't do!" laughed Mr. Treadwell. "The leaves aren't
anything like those of an orange tree. I remember once when we gave an
act with this tree it was supposed to be on a tropic island, and one of
the actors fastened a cocoanut on it, to make the audience think it
really grew there."

"What happened?" asked Mr. Brown, as he saw the actor laugh.

"Well, the cocoanut wasn't fastened on very well," was the answer, "and
when the leading lady was standing under the tree, singing a sad song,
the cocoanut fell off and dropped on her foot. She stopped singing right
there, and the play was nearly spoiled. So don't have oranges grow on
peach trees," he advised.

"We could have peanuts," suggested Bunny. "They wouldn't hurt if they
fell on you."

Mr. Brown and Mr. Treadwell laughed at that, and Bunny wondered why they
did.

The children were delighted with the scenery, once they had got over
their surprise at how coarse the paint looked when they were close to
it. The barn and the house, with their real doors that opened and shut,
were quite wonderful to Bunny Brown and his sister Sue, and so was the
tree.

This was made of wood with what seemed to be real bark on it, and had
limbs, branches, and twigs that seemed very natural. But Mr. Treadwell
explained that it was all artificial, like the palms you see in some
hotels and moving picture theaters.

While Bunny and Sue waited, Mr. Brown talked with the man who had charge
of the scenery, and in a little while the children's father said he
would buy the set, which was offered at a low price.

"And can we give our show with it?" Bunny wanted to know whe