and so that you will not have to
exercise any gray matter yourselves."

"Oh! oh!" groaned Jennie. "How ungrateful."

"Of course you have something to suggest?" Nettie said.

"No, not a thing. My idea is, merely, that we start something that every
girl in the school can have her share in. Of course, that does not cut
out contributions from those who have money to spare; but the new building
must be erected by the efforts of the girls of Briarwood Hall as----"

"As a bunch of briars," chuckled Jennie. "Isn't that a sharp one?"

"Just as sharp as you are, my dear," said Helen.

"You know what that means, Heavy," said Mary Cox. "You're all curves."

"Oh! ouch! I know that hurt me," declared the plump girl, altogether too
good-natured to be offended by anything her mates said to her.

"So that's how it is," Ruth finished "Call the girls together. Put the
idea before them. Let's hear from everybody, and see which girl has the
best thought along this line. We want a way of making money in which
everyone can join."

"I--don't--see," complained Nettie, "how you are going to do it."

"Never mind. Don't worry," said Mercy. "'Great oaks from little acorns
grow,' and a fine idea will sprout from the germ of Ruth's suggestion, I
have no doubt."

It did; but not at all in the way any of them expected. The whole school
was called together after recitations on this afternoon, which was several
days following the fire. The teachers had no part in the assembly, least
of all Mrs. Tellingham.

But the older girls--all of them S.B.'s--were very much in earnest; and
from them the younger pupils, of course, took their cue. The West
Dormitory must be built--and within the time originally specified by Mrs.
Tellingham when she had thought the insurance would fully pay for the work
of reconstruction.

Many girls, it seemed, had already written home begging contributions to
the fund which they expected would be raised for the new building. Some
even were ready to offer money of their very own toward the amount
necessary to start the work.

Even Ruth agreed to this first effort to get money. She pledged a hundred
dollars herself and Nettie Parsons quietly put down the same sum as her
own personal offering.

"Oh, gracious, goodness, me, girls!" gasped Jennie Stone, who had been
figuring desperately upon a sheet of paper. "Wait till I get this sum
done; then I can tell you what I will give. There! Can it be possible?"

"What is it,