me last week that she was
sending me some of her prize pink Dahlias, and some gladioli bulbs!"

"Possibly these might fill three large cases!" laughed Bart, in his
turn.

"Why not see if any of those letters throw light upon the mystery, and
then I'll help 'hook up,' as I suppose Barney has gone home, and we will
bring up the crates even if they contain crocodiles!" said _The Man_,
cheerfully. Complications always have an especially cheering effect upon
him, I've often noticed.

The beams of a quarter moon were picturesque, but not a satisfactory
light by which to read letters, especially when under excitement, so
Bart brought out a carriage lantern with which we had equipped our camp,
and proceeded to sort the mail, tossing the rejected letters into my
lap.

Suddenly he paused at one, extra bulky and bearing the handwriting of
his mother, weighed it on the palm of his hand, and opened it slowly.
From it fell three of the yellow-brown papers upon which receipts for
expressage are commonly written; I picked them up while Bart read
slowly--

"MY DEAR SON,

"We were most glad to hear through daughter Mary of your eminently
sensible and frugal plan for passing your summer vacation in the
improvement of your land without the expense of travel.

"Wishing to give you some solid mark of our approval, as well as to
contribute what must be a material aid to your income, father and I send
you to-day, by express, three crates of Hens--one of White Leghorns, one
of Plymouth Rocks, and one of Brown Dorkings, a male companion
accompanying each crate, as I am told is usual. We did not select an
incubator, thinking you might have some preference in the matter, but it
will be forthcoming when your decision is made.

"Of course I know that you cannot usually spare the time for the care of
these fowls, but it will be a good outdoor vocation for Mary, amusing
and lucrative, besides being thoroughly feminine, for such poultry
raising was considered even in my younger days.

"A book, _The Complete Guide to Poultry Farming_, which I sent Mary a
year ago on her birthday, as a mere suggestion, will tell her all she
need know in the beginning, and the responsibility and occupation itself
will be a good corrective for giving too much time to the beauties of
the flower garden, which are merely pleasurable.

"I need not remind you that the different breeds should be housed
separately, but you who always had a gift for carpentry can easi