July the first broke clear and sparkling, and before
six o'clock the whole Watson family were stirring. Out in the garden
the four little boys were pulling radishes and tying them into
bunches. Mary, her hair done in many tight little pigtails, was doing
a flourishing business' in lettuce. Jimmy was at the head of the
green onion department. The Watsons had the contract of supplying
green vegetables to the hotel for the day.

Pearl and Aunt Kate were sorting out clothes, while Mrs. Watson got
the breakfast.

Down on the river-bank John Watson was cutting down poles for the new
stable that he was going to put up in the fall. There was a great
contentment in his heart as he looked at his twenty acres of wheat
and the same of oats. The season had been so favourable that although
the grain had been sown late, it was now well advanced. A field of
fifteen acres farther up the river had been cleared and ploughed and
would be in crop next year, and as he looked at his land in the
sparkling morning sunshine something of Pearl's optimistic vision
came to him, and in his fancy he saw all the roots and scrub cleared
away and replaced by magnificent fields of grain, dappled with light
and shade, his pasture full of cattle, a comfortable house instead of
the weatherworn one before him, himself and the "Missus" enjoying
peace and plenty; and the children growing up in wisdom's ways; and
Pearlie--his heart's treasure, little Pearl, with the "natest fut in
the country, and the sparrow shins of her"--Pearlie getting her
chance.

"Faith, there's few of them can bate our Pearlie, I'm thinkin', if
she can only get the chance."

By ten o'clock active preparations began on the junior members of the
family. Mary's hair showed that putting in fourteen hard braids the
night before is worth the trouble. She had a lovely barred muslin
made out of an old one of Aunt Kate's that she couldn't wear now,
being in mourning.

There were new suits for some, clean suits for all, and the only
disturbance that occurred was when Danny would not "hold still" while
Pearl fastened the front of his blouse; but just a hint of leaving
him at home, made a better boy of Danny at once.

Bugsey, who was the first one dressed, went out to watch the weather,
and in a short time came running in, in tears. There was a cloud
coming up, and Bugsey, the pessimist, knew it was going to rain.

Pearl backed Danny out of the door, holding tight by his tie-strings,
to l