the only thing to merit commendation."

Of course everybody thanked Mr D'Arcy, and he at once felt himself
perfectly at home. Never did the finest baronial mansion afford more
satisfaction to the occupiers than did Philip's quickly-built cottage.
It stood on a platform on the side of the hill, looking south over the
lake, and sheltered by the ground above it from the icy blast of the
north. There was not space on the platform for a larger building; but a
little way off was a much wider piece of level ground, and here already
logs were laid for a log house.

"The cottage was an after-thought," said Philip, showing the plan of the
log house. "I knew that we could not get this fitted up in time, and
planking being abundant and cheap, I bethought me of running up a plank
cottage which will serve you till you can get into the more substantial
mansion. With a stove and additional banking up outside it may be made
warm enough even for winter." Never was a family more busy, or one more
contented and happy.

"Our present abode will make a magnificent dairy when we get into the
big mansion," cried Agnes, as she saw the walls of the log house quickly
rising. "How clean and nice the pans will look arranged round the walls
and the churn in the middle."

"Your notions are rather too grand, I fear, dear," said her mother. "We
have only got one cow, and there will be room here for the milk of
fifty."

"Ah! but the day will come when we may have fifty. That beautiful
meadow by the side of the stream to the right will feed almost that
number," said Agnes.

"I should be content with four or five, so that we may make our own
butter and cheese, and have cream and milk in abundance," observed
Fanny. "I should like to have time to attend to our garden, and
poultry, and pigs; and then, remember, we are not to grow into savages,
so we must have reading, and keep up our music and drawing, and then
there will be all sorts of household work to attend to."

Sophy sided with Fanny, and Philip put an end to the discussion about
the dairy, by telling them that he had calculated on using up the planks
of the cottage for the flooring of part of the new house.

That building got on with wonderful rapidity. Day after day Mr
Lawrence D'Arcy came over with his man Terry, a faithful fellow, born on
his father's estate in Ireland, who had been his servant in the army for
several years. Philip had, for the purpose of economising heat and
s