in twenty minutes, when the roads are good. I shall have to take my
lunch in a pail, like my farm hands, if you don't come, for I'm not going
to cast myself on the Lanes for food, except now and then."

"Come on, I'm ready. Talk to me about it on the way out, and when I come
back I'll put it to mother so artfully she can't refuse." And Josephine
took the control of the door-knob out of her brother's hand.

Jarvis applied himself silently to his steering-wheel until they were out
of the city, for although after a month's practice he drove with
considerable skill, he had not yet reached the point where steering
through city traffic becomes purely mechanical. But once on the open
road, with few vehicles in the way, Jarvis continued the subject.

"Do you think mother really dislikes the idea? It seems to me the most
practical in the world. Those west rooms would be fine, furnished with
summer stuff--I wouldn't for the world have you put anything in them that
would make the other part of the house look shabby by contrast."

"Jarvis! As if we would! Why, it would be just mattings and wicker
chairs, muslin curtains, and that sort of thing. And I think mother
rather likes the idea. But she is afraid we should be forcing ourselves
on them, as we did last summer with the tent. She doesn't doubt they
would all like it, except Max. But he's so queer--he never likes what
he's expected to."

"Max is the very one who would favour it this time. He said the other day
he wished I could live out here, since I'm to run everything this season.
I said I'd like mighty well to be on the ground, but couldn't, of course,
in the circumstances, unless the family were along. He said, 'Set up for
yourselves in the west wing, and be here to get up with the lark, in the
approved farmer's style. I propose to sleep till the last minute, and let
the early birds get all the worms they like.'"

"Oh, he was only joking."

"Of course he was joking, but I feel certain he'd favour the plan. He
has reason to give me my head in every way, hasn't he? I'm equipping the
place with farm tools and machines at my own expense, hiring help out of
my own pocket, and taking all the risk. If I can't have the west wing for
the summer I'll send back that disc-harrow that arrived yesterday--I'm as
proud of it as I am of the car."

"Would you dare mention it to Sally?"

"The disc-harrow--or the plan? If she likes the plan as well as she does
the harrow, she'll welcome