touched his badge. "These are the 'Blue Ribbon Brand,' best
goods in the market."

"Come to think of it, there aren't so very many new things one can do,"
Tom remarked.

"Not in Winton, at any rate," Bob added.

"If anyone dares say anything derogatory to Winton, on this, or any
other, outing of the 'S. W. F. Club,' he, or she, will get into
trouble," Josie said sternly.

Mrs. Boyd was waiting for them on the steps, Shirley close by, while a
glimpse of a white umbrella seen through the trees told that Mr. Dayre
was not far off.

"It's the best cherry season in years," Mrs. Boyd declared, as the
young folks came laughing and crowding about her. She was a prime
favorite with them all. "My, how nice you look! Those badges are
mighty pretty."

"Where's yours?" Pauline demanded.

"It's in my top drawer, dear. Looks like I'm too old to go wearing
such things, though 'twas ever so good in you to send me one."

"Hilary," Pauline turned to her sister, "I'm sure Mrs. Boyd'll let you
go to her top drawer. Not a stroke of business does this club do,
until this particular member has her badge on."

"Now," Tom asked, when that little matter had been attended to, "what's
the order of the day?"

"I hope you've worn old dresses?" Mrs. Boyd said.

"I haven't, ma'am," Tracy announced.

"Order!" Bob called.

"Eat all you like--so long's you don't get sick--and each pick a nice
basket to take home," Mrs. Boyd explained. There were no cherries
anywhere else quite so big and fine, as those at The Maples.

"You to command, we to obey!" Tracy declared.

"Boys to pick, girls to pick up," Tom ordered, as they scattered about
among the big, bountifully laden trees.

"For cherry time,
Is merry time,"

Shirley improvised, catching the cluster of great red and white
cherries Jack tossed down to her.

Even more than the rest of the young folks, Shirley was getting the
good of this happy, out-door summer, with its quiet pleasures and
restful sense of home life. She had never known anything before like
it. It was very different, certainly, from the studio life in New
York, different from the sketching rambles she had taken other summers
with her father. They were delightful, too, and it was pleasant to
think of going back to them again--some day; but just at present, it
was good to be a girl among other girls, interested in all the simple,
homely things each day brought up.

And her father was content, too, else