opening that
it would be a sin to waste," she said heartily. "I think the best thing
you can do is to try to increase your business all you can."

"If I could have a bit more of the garden for a run, and could get the
money to put up a bigger house for my fowls," said Aunt Emma eagerly,
"I believe I could do very well with them."

"I am sure you could," agreed Mrs. Langley warmly. She did not add that
this was just what she had been wanting to suggest, but was afraid to,
lest it should give offence.

Emma Hender's face quite lit up with pleasure. "If it isn't too damp for
you, I wish you would come down the garden with me and see what I think
would be a good place to have a house."

"I'd like to come," said Aunt Maggie warmly, only too glad to be friendly
if Miss Hender would let her. "Shall we go now?"

Down the garden they all trooped, for, of course, Margery must be in
everything, and Charlie was more interested in ducks and fowls, or any
other live creature, than he was in flowers or fruit. They examined the
present poky fowl-house and run, and then they surveyed the land, and each
one gave an opinion on the matter.

"I think if we were to put the new house next to the old one it would be
best, don't you?" said Aunt Emma.

Aunt Maggie looked about her for a minute thoughtfully. "Well, no," she
said at last. "I think, if it was mine, I should have a new house close
there by the orchard, and give them a run that would go right through the
hedge, so that they could have the run of the orchard too. They would
enjoy that, and it would keep them healthy, and they could pick up so much
food you wouldn't need to feed them more than twice a day. What do you
think about it?"

Miss Hender looked thoughtful for a minute. "Yes, I think it might be a
good plan," she said. She did not speak very heartily, but it was a
wonderful change for her to agree at all with any suggestion made by
Mrs. Langley. "But there," she sighed, dropping back into her usual
melancholy manner, "what does it matter? I don't suppose it will ever be
my lot to get it. I don't see where the money is to come from," and she
returned to the house with all the air of a much injured woman.

That afternoon, as Tom and Bella went round shutting up the hot-beds,
Tom confided a new plan he had formed. "I am going to learn carpentering
this winter," he said eagerly, "just plain carpentering, you know.
I want to see if we can't build Aunt Emma