where it can be seen through the trees. But the back part
must be pretty, too, for I shall have it look out upon a nice little
grassy hill, with plants and shrubs in variety growing over it."

"We shall see," answered the architect.

Just as he spoke there was a turn in the road, and then they came in
sight of the beautiful lake.

"Oh, how delightful!" the stranger exclaimed, "what an enchanting view.
It reminds me of a picture I've seen somewhere of an English landscape."

"That's what my wife says," answered Mr. Curtis, glancing in her face
with a smile.

The architect said no more; but his companions saw that his keen eye
noticed everything.

Presently they alighted from the carriage, and Mr. Curtis, giving his
wife his arm, began to explain where he intended his house to stand.

"I settled upon another place at first," he said. "There you will see
the little stakes I drove into the ground, but my wife thought this
better; and as I yield to her in matters of taste I changed to this
spot."

"This gives you a much better view," the architect remarked quietly.

They walked here and there, two or three times. Mr. Rand took a rule
from his pocket and measured the ground. Then he ran off by himself to
the top of the little hill, and stood looking over the lake. All this
time he had scarcely answered Mr. Curtis' questions. He was thinking. At
last his face lighted up with a smile, and he exclaimed,--

"I have it; just the thing. How would you like a stone house? You have
plenty of material on your land."

"A stone house is too damp," answered Mr. Curtis, shaking his head.
"No, I prefer a well-made wooden house with back plaster and tarred
paper to keep out the wind. I can use all my stone in building walls
around my farm."

"How much land is there?"

"Sixty acres in this piece; and I have just purchased twenty more of
wood; for I mean to keep warm."

CHAPTER IV.

THE PLAN.

It was now nearly time for dinner; and Mr. Curtis helped his wife into
the carriage; and they all rode away to Mr. Taylor's farm, where they
found a nice dinner of roast lamb and fresh vegetables awaiting them.
For dessert there was plenty of strawberries and sweet, thick cream,
which the grown people as well as the children enjoyed very much.

After dinner Mr. Rand opened a large book which Bertie thought looked
like a big atlas; and then the stranger and papa and mamma gathered
around the table to look at the plans of hous