I'll have to, and you 'member I gave you some extra lunch
that you wouldn't have got if it hadn't been for me--and a few matches.
Promise you won't light a fire till you get a long way from our house,
will you? Gail won't give tramps matches for fear they will set the
buildings on fire. And say, the lawn-mower is right beside the front
porch, if you should happen to want to cut the grass--just the little
piece fenced in, you know. The rest is for hay. And the ball of twine
for stringing up Hope's vines is stuck in the hole of the porch railing
nearest the door--you can find it easy enough. The rain barrel is behind
the house, and--yes, yes, Cherry, I am coming this very minute! I hope
you have liked your nice breakfast, and will come some other time and
split more wood for us. Good-bye, Mr. Tramp, I've _got_ to go."

CHAPTER II

THE MINISTER'S RECEPTION

"Are you ready, Cherry?"

"Almost," came the muffled reply from the stiffly-starched little figure
sitting on the floor struggling with a broken shoe-string. "Why, Peace,
where are _you_ going?"

"Where do you s'pose? To the reception, of course," answered that young
lady, who had just entered the room, rigged out in an ancient, faded
pink gown which had once been pretty, but was long since outgrown so
that several inches of petticoat hung in display the whole way around
the skirt, and the ruffs on the sleeves reached almost to the elbow. How
she had ever squeezed herself inside the small garment was beyond
comprehension, but there she stood, buttoned up and breathless, ready
for the evening's social event.

"Did Faith say you could go, and where in creation did you find that
ridiculous old dress?" demanded Cherry, after an astonished survey of
the grotesque figure in the doorway.

"Faith doesn't have anything to say about it," was the emphatic retort,
as the brown eyes snapped indignantly at her sister's criticism. "Didn't
mother promise I could go to the next reception that the church had,
and ain't this the next? Faith kept me home from Mr. Kane's farewell,
but she can't make me stay away tonight."

"Gail isn't going--" began Cherry, scenting the storm which was sure to
follow this declaration from her younger sister; but Peace interrupted,
"I am going just the same. Mother said I could!"

"Have you asked her about it today?"

"No, I haven't. She promised a long time ago, but it was a sure enough
promise, and she always keeps her promises."

"B