me from a long way off and I
think they'll all be glad to have a little something extra before they
start work. It won't hurt us a bit to think so, and act accordingly
anyhow."

So within half an hour the Pratts and the Camp Fire Girls had had their
own breakfasts, the dishes were washed, and great pots of coffee were
boiling on the fires that had been built. And, just as the fragrant
aroma arose on the cool air, the first of the teams that brought the
workers came in sight, with jovial Jud Harkness driving.

"My, but that coffee smells good, Miss Mercer!" he roared. "Say, I'm not
strong for all these city fixin's in the way of food. Plain home cookin'
serves me well enough, but there's one thing where you sure do lay all
over us, and that's in makin' coffee. Give me a mug of that, Mis' Pratt,
an' I'll start work."

And from the way in which the coffee and the cakes, the latter spread
with good maple syrup from trees that grew near Cranford, began to
disappear, it was soon evident that Eleanor had made no mistake, and
that the breakfast that she had had prepared for the workers would by no
means be wasted.

"It does me good to see you men eat this way," she said, laughing.
"That's one thing we don't do properly in the city--eat. We peck at a
lot of things, instead of eating a few plain ones, and a lot of them.
And I'll bet that you men will work all the harder for this extra
breakfast."

"Just you watch and see!" bellowed Jud. "I'm boss here to-day, ma'am,
and I tell you I'm some nigger driver. Ain't I, boys?"

But he accompanied the threat with a jovial wink, and it was easy to see
that these men liked and respected him, and were only too willing to
look up to him as a leader in the work of kindness in which they were
about to engage.

"I don't know why all you boys are so good to me, Jud," said Mrs. Pratt,
brokenly. "I can't begin to find words to thank you, even."

"Don't try, Mis' Pratt," said Jud, looking remarkably fierce, though he
was winking back something that looked suspiciously like a tear. "I
guess we ain't none of us forgot Tom Pratt--as good a friend as men ever
had! Many's the time he's done kind things for all of us! I guess it'd
be pretty poor work if some of his friends couldn't turn out to help his
wife and kids when they're in trouble."

"He knows what you're doing, I'm sure of that," she answered. "And God
will reward you, Jud Harkness!"

Heartily as the men ate, however, they spent li