hool. She found that she was very happy as
she went and quite convinced that her first flight would prove entirely
successful.

CHAPTER IV

A QUESTION OF CONTRACTS

"HELLO, Folks!" cried Kate, waving her hand to the occupants of the
veranda as she went up the walk. "Glad to find you at home."

"That is where you will always find me unless I am forced away on
business," said her brother as they shook hands.

Agatha was pleased with this, and stiff as steel, she bent the length
of her body toward Kate and gave her a tight-lipped little peck on the
cheek.

"I came over, as soon as I could," said Kate as she took the chair her
brother offered, "to thank you for the big thing you did for me,
Agatha, when you lent me that money. If I had known where I was going,
or the help it would be to me, I should have gone if I'd had to walk
and work for my board. Why, I feel so sure of myself! I've learned so
much that I'm like the girl fresh from boarding school: 'The only
wonder is that one small head can contain it all.' Thank you over and
over and I've got a good school, so I can pay you back the very first
month, I think. If there are things I must have, I can pay part the
first month and the remainder the second. I am eager for pay-day. I
can't even picture the bliss of having that much money in my fingers,
all my own, to do with as I please. Won't it be grand?"

In the same breath said Agatha: "Procure yourself some clothes!" Said
Adam: "Start a bank account!"

Said Kate: "Right you are! I shall do both."

"Even our little Susan has a bank account," said Adam, Jr., proudly.

"Which is no reflection whatever on me," laughed Kate. "Susan did not
have the same father and mother I had. I'd like to see a girl of my
branch of the Bates family start a bank account at ten."

"No, I guess she wouldn't," admitted Adam, dryly.

"But have you heard that Nancy Ellen has started?" cried Kate. "Only
think! A lawn-mower! The house and barn to be painted! All the dinge
possible to remove scoured away, inside! She must have worn her
fingers almost to the bone! And really, Agatha, have you seen the man?
He's as big as Adam, and just fine looking. I'm simply consumed with
envy."

"Miss Medira, Dora, Ann, cast her net, and catched a man!" recited
Susan from the top step, at which they all laughed.

"No, I have not had the pleasure of casting my optics upon the
individual of Nancy Ellen's choice," said Agath