rfield declared, Mrs. Roland
was, after all, a public benefactor.

"You'd better wait," said Nan, "until you see the house to-morrow. I know
a little about the Rolands, and I wouldn't be a bit surprised to find
things pretty much upside down."

It was nearly noon the next day when Mrs. Roland telephoned to the
Hurly-Burly and asked for Mrs. Fairfield.

Nan responded, and was told that the Rolands were now leaving, and that
the Fairfields might again come into their home.

Mrs. Roland also expressed voluble thanks for the great service the
Fairfields had done her, and said that she would call the next day to
thank them in person.

So the Fairfields went back home, and happily Nan's fears were not
realised. Nothing seemed to be spoiled or out of order, and the servants
said that Mrs. Roland and her family and friends had been most kind, and
had made no trouble at all.

"Now, you see," said Patty, triumphantly, "that it does no harm to do a
kind deed to a neighbour once in a while, even though it isn't the
particular kind deed that you've done a hundred times before."

"That's true enough, Patty," said her father, "but all the same when you
lend our home again, let it be our own house, and furnished with our own
things. I don't mind owning up, now that it's all over, that I did feel a
certain anxiety arising from the fact that this is a rented house, and
almost none of the household appointments are our own."

"Goodness, gracious me!" said Patty. "I never once thought of that! Well,
I'm glad they didn't smash all the china and bric-a-brac, for they're
mortal homely, and I should certainly begrudge the money it would take to
replace them."

CHAPTER XXI

THE CRUSOES

Plans were on foot for a huge fair and bazaar to be held in aid of the
Associated Charities. Everybody in and around Sandy Cove was interested,
and the fair, which would be held the last week in August, was expected
to eclipse all previous efforts of its kind.

All three of the Fairfields were energetically assisting in the work, and
each was a member of several important committees.

The Barlows, too, were working hard, and the Rolands thought they were
doing so, though somehow they accomplished very little. As the time drew
near for the bazaar to open, Patty grew so excited over the work and had
such a multitude of responsibilities, that she flew around as madly as
when she was preparing for the play at school.

"But I'm perfectly wel