ad all fallen on Sara's shoulders since. Sometimes,
as now, they pressed very heavily, but a talk with Willard always
heartened her up. Willard had his blue spells too, but Sara thought it
a special Providence that their blue turns never came together. When
one got downhearted the other was always ready to do the cheering up.

Sara was glad to hear Willard whistling when he drove into the lane;
it was a sign he was in good spirits. He pulled up, and Sara climbed
into the wagon.

"Things go all right today, Sally?" he asked cheerfully.

"There was a letter from Aunt Josephina," answered Sara, anxious to
get the worst over, "and she wants to come to Maple Hollow for the
winter. I thought at first we just couldn't have her, but I decided to
leave it to you."

"Well, we've got a pretty good houseful already," said Willard
thoughtfully. "But I suppose if Aunt Josephina wants to come we'd
better have her. I always liked Aunt Josephina, and so did Mother, you
know."

"I don't know where we can put her. We haven't any spare room, Will."

"Ray and I can sleep in the kitchen loft. You and Dolly take our room,
and let Aunt Josephina take yours."

"The kitchen loft isn't really fit to sleep in," said Sara
pessimistically. "It's awfully cold, and there're mice and rats--ugh!
You and Ray will get nibbled in spots. But it's the only thing to do
if we must have Aunt Josephina. I'll get Ray to write to her tomorrow.
I couldn't put enough cordiality into the letter if I wrote it
myself."

Ray came in while Willard was at supper. There were cobwebs all over
him from his head to his heels. "I've solved the Aunt J. problem," he
announced cheerfully. "We will furnish the blue north room."

"With what?" asked Sara disbelievingly.

"I've been poking about in the garret and in the carriage house loft,"
said Ray, "and I've found furniture galore. It's very old and
cobwebby--witness my appearance--and very much in want of scrubbing
and a few nails. But it will do."

"I'd forgotten about those old things," said Sara slowly. "They've
never been used since I can remember, and long before. They were
discarded before Mother came here. But I thought they were all broken
and quite useless."

"Not at all. I believe we can furbish them up sufficiently to make the
room habitable. It will be rather old-fashioned, but then it's
Hobson's choice. There are the pieces of an old bed out in the loft,
and they can be put together. There's an old co