proved
themselves decidedly more efficient at stopping runaways than at making
symmetrical hay-cocks.

"If you have any regard for my pride," said Sally suddenly, when the load
was half replaced, "you'll let me drive down to the barn."

The three men stopped and looked at her.

"That's mighty plucky of you, Miss Sally," declared Donald Ferry,
"but--if you have any regard for _our_ feelings--" and he let an
eloquent shake of the head finish his sentence for him.

Jarvis said nothing. But a certain peculiar set of his jaw, as he went on
with his pitching, spoke volumes.

As for Jake Kelly--"Wall, I want to know!" said he. Then he laughed
outright. "I calc'late, miss," said he, "ef you ride on that thar'
load o' hay again to-day it'll be because them two's rendered
incompetent o' action! An' they don't look to me much 'sif paralysis
would set in yit awhile!"

CHAPTER XV

ON AN AUGUST EVENING

"Oh, dear--who's this coming?--just as we've settled down to accomplish
something!"

"It's the Chases. Girls--we simply can't stop work to entertain them!"

"We don't need to stop--this sort of work."

They bent over their sewing--all but Sally, who with inward reluctance
got to her feet as the Chases' big car rolled up the driveway and
approached the porch, where the four girls were sitting, busy with some
extremely important matters. But of course the work had to be put down
for a little when Dorothy Chase actually set foot on the porch.

"Oh, what an energetic crowd!" she cried, "this hot August morning,
too. Sally, where are your men? Neil wants to see some of them while I
talk to you."

Sally pointed off into the distance. "Jarvis and Bob are hoeing potatoes
over there in the field. There's a tree near by, and Neil can sit in the
shade of that. You don't mind going, Neil? They're 'way behind with the
potatoes."

Neil Chase bowed impressively to the group on the porch. "I should much
prefer to stay here," said he gallantly, "but business reasons impel me
to seek that inferno out yonder. What Jarve finds interesting in that
sort of thing is beyond me."

He drove on by the house and over the grass behind, getting as near to
the corn-field as possible, that he might have to walk only the least
necessary distance. Meanwhile his wife sat down and inspected the quality
of the work being done on the porch.

"Are you people sewing for an orphan asylum?" she inquired, after
discovering that red and blue gingha