ings I bought. Miss Crockett over at Hampton
told me what to order and they came to-day, and I opened them up at the
house."

Catherine came up beside Algernon and watched him unpack the boxes of
cards, pens, paper clips, mending tissue, paste, shears and other new
and shining articles. She was distinctly surprised. A large share of
their little capital must have gone into these purchases. And Algernon
had told no one, not even herself, that he was buying them.

Dorcas caught up a sheet of the paper.

"It seems to me it's rather fresh of you to spend the association's
money for paper with your name on it, without knowing whether the
permanent organization will want you or not."

The glow faded from Algernon's eyes. The consideration with which he had
been treated these last few days had taught him to estimate properly the
tolerance which had been all he had received before. Catherine, even,
looked puzzled and not quite pleased.

"O, I say," he protested sadly. "You don't think I'd go and spend the
public money, do you? I thought it would be fun to have these things all
ready. I didn't know you'd rather have had me give the money and let the
rest of you send in the order. I just did it for my share,--I'm awfully
sorry."

Catherine lifted her head brightly.

"Indeed, you did exactly right. None of us would have known half so
wisely how to use it. What did I tell you people? How many towns have
librarians who work without pay, and furnish all their materials
besides?"

Bert suddenly mounted the seat of the donkey-cart.

"What's the matter with the Boat Club?" he inquired hoarsely.

"We're all right," modestly replied the Boat Club, boys and girls
together.

"What's the matter with the Three R's?"

"They're all right."

"What's the matter with the library?"

"It's all right."

"And now three cheers and a tiger for A. Swinburne, librarian. Hip, hip,
hooray!"

CHAPTER FIVE

A DAY OFF

"Not going over to the library to work to-day?"

"Not this morning. Mother Nature says I'd better not."

Dr. Helen put her hand on her daughter's forehead. "Too tired?" she
queried, with a note of anxiety in her voice. It had been only in the
last year or so that Catherine had been well enough to do the things
other girls did, and she was always on the lookout for indications of
over-exertion.

"No," answered Catherine, pulling her mother's firm strong hand down to
her lips and kissing it. "And I don't inten