r. She thought
things weren't just progressing as fast as they ought to between him and
the teacher.

Bud, with Margaret's instructions, managed to make a very creditable
bookcase out of the packing-box sawed in half, the pieces set side by
side. She covered them deftly with green burlap left over from college
days, like her other supplies, and then the two arranged the books. Bud
was delighted over the prospect of reading some of the books, for they
were not all school-books, by any means, and she had brought plenty of
them to keep her from being lonesome on days when she longed to fly back
to her home.

At last the work was done, and they stood back to survey it. The books
filled up every speck of space and overflowed to the three little
hanging shelves over them; but they were all squeezed in at last except
a pile of school-books that were saved out to take to the school-house.
Margaret set a tiny vase on the top of one part of the packing-case and
a small brass bowl on the top of the other, and Bud, after a knowing
glance, scurried away for a few minutes and brought back a handful of
gorgeous cactus blossoms to give the final touch.

"Gee!" he said, admiringly, looking around the room. "Gee! You wouldn't
know it fer the same place!"

That evening after supper Margaret sat down to write a long letter home.
She had written a brief letter, of course, the night before, but had
been too weary to go into detail. The letter read:

DEAR MOTHER AND FATHER,--I'm unpacked and settled at last in my
room, and now I can't stand it another minute till I talk to you.

Last night, of course, I was pretty homesick, things all looked so
strange and new and different. I had known they would, but then I
didn't realize at all how different they would be. But I'm not
getting homesick already; don't think it. I'm not a bit sorry I
came, or at least I sha'n't be when I get started in school. One of
the scholars is Mrs. Tanner's son, and I like him. He's crude, of
course, but he has a brain, and he's been helping me this
afternoon. We made a bookcase for my books, and it looks fine. I
wish you could see it. I covered it with the green burlap, and the
books look real happy in smiling rows over on the other side of the
room. Bud Tanner got me some wonderful cactus blossoms for my brass
bowl. I wish I could send you some. They are gorgeous!

But you will want me