d been present
at the community meeting. Cousin Roxy was bareheaded, little curly wisps
of hair fluttering around her face.

"I made your father stay up at our place," she told the girls. "You'll all
probably have to come back with me anyhow and excitement isn't good for
him. Besides, he wouldn't be a bit of good around here. Seems like they're
getting the fire under pretty good control. I don't believe all the house
will go. It was fearful old anyway, and it needed to be rebuilt if you
ever expect your great-grandchildren to live here."

Kit noticed an entirely new and unsuspected trait in Cousin Roxy on this
night of excitement. It was the only time when she had not seen her take
command of the situation. But to-night she helped Mrs. Gorham pack all
the necessary household supplies into the back of the wagon for Shad to
drive up to Maple Lawn. As soon as she had seen the extent of the damage
she had said immediately that the robin's nest must be moved up the hill
to her own old home, where she had lived before her marriage to Judge
Ellis.

"It won't take but a couple of days to put it into shape for you, and
Hiram's right up there to look after things. You'll be back here before
snow flies, with a few modern improvements put in, and all of you the
better for the change. Helen, go bring the family treasures from under
that pine tree, and put them in the back of our car."

"You know, Cousin Roxy," Kit exclaimed, "I thought the minute you showed
up down here to-night you'd be the chief of the fire department."

Cousin Roxy laughed heartily.

"Did you, child? Well, I've always held that there are times and seasons
when you ought to let the men-folks alone. After you've lived a lifetime
in these parts, you'll know that every boy born and bred around here is
taught how to fight fire from the time he can tote a water bucket. Did you
save all the chickens, Shad?"

"Ain't lost even a guinea hen!" Shad assured her. "The barn ain't touched,
and so I'm going to sleep over the harness room and watch out for the
stock."

It was always a secret joy to the girls to hear the way Shad would roll
out about the Greenacre "stock."

"Just as if," Jean said, "we had all the cattle upon a thousand hills and
racers and thoroughbreds into the bargain, instead of Bonnibel and Lady
Bountiful, with Princess and the hens. I think Helen put him up to it. She
always thinks in royal terms of affluence."

CHAPTER III

KIT RISES TO