. But yesterday his boy came down with the
measles. He had been out of school for several days--had been visiting the
other side of the ridge. They think he caught it there--at his cousin's.

"However," continued Mr. Somers, "that does not help me. When I came home
from school and heard the doctor's report, I refused to enter the house.
We don't want an epidemic of measles at Pounder's School.

"So I slept in the barn with Old Molly, here. And now I must find another
boarding place. They--er--tell me, Miss Bray, that you intend to take
boarders?"

"Why--er--yes," admitted Lyddy, faintly.

"You have some already?"

"Mr. Colesworth and his son. They have just come."

"Couldn't you put me--and Molly--up for the rest of the term?" asked the
school teacher, laughing.

"Why, I don't know but I could," said Lyddy, her business sense coming to
her aid. "I--why, yes! I am quite sure about _you_; but about the horse, I
do not know."

"You surely have a stall to spare?"

"Plenty; but no feed."

"Oh, I will bring my own grain; and I'll let her pasture in your orchard.
She doesn't work hard and doesn't need much forage except what she can
glean at this time of year for herself."

"Well, then, perhaps it can be arranged," said Lyddy. "Will you come in
and see what our accommodations are?"

And so that is how another boarder came to Hillcrest Farm. Mr. Somers
chose one of the smaller rooms upstairs, and agreed to pay for his own
entertainment and pasturage for his horse--six dollars and a half a week.
It was a little more than he had been paying at Larribee's, he said--but
then, Mr. Somers wanted to come to Hillcrest.

He drove away to get his trunk out of the window of his bedroom at the
measles-stricken farmhouse down the hill; he would not risk entering by
the door for the sake of his other pupils.

A little later Lucas drove up from town with Harris Colesworth and his bag.

"Say!" whispered the lanky farmer, leaning from his seat to whisper to
'Phemie. "I hear tell you've got school teacher for a boarder, too? Is
that so?"

"What of it?" demanded 'Phemie, somewhat vexed.

"Oh, nawthin'. Only ye oughter seen Sairy's face when maw told her!"

CHAPTER XVI

THE BALL KEEPS ROLLING

The school teacher pressingly invited the Bray girls to accompany him to
the temperance meeting that evening; his buggy would hold the three, he
declared. But both Lyddy and 'Phemie had good reason for being excused.
There w