ike wasted water power?" suggested her father.

"Yes. That's just it. He has read more than any one in this town, except
you, Father dear, and you are very old-fashioned in your reading. You
never heard of some of the modern books that Algernon knows all about.
Why couldn't we start a library and have Algernon run it? It would make
people appreciate him."

"It would keep him occupied at certain hours, and assure you of freedom
from his calls," said Dr. Harlow, but Catherine was in earnest and
refused to be teased.

"Wouldn't it be practical, really, Mother? Algernon can't go away to
school. His mother isn't willing, you know, and he needs to be here to
look after Elsmere. But he could study there, and lots of towns as small
as this do have libraries."

The doorbell rang and Dr. Harlow went to answer it.

"Some one to see you, Catherine," he said, returning.

Catherine found Algernon himself standing in the doorway, his big pale
eyes full of distress.

"Excuse my coming just at supper time," he said, "but I've lost Elsmere.
No one seems to have seen him since we did this afternoon, and I thought
perhaps you would remember which direction he went in. It was while I
was in the house he disappeared, you know. He almost always comes home
for meals!"

Catherine meditated. "I didn't see him go. I was looking at some papers,
and when I glanced up he wasn't there. Let's go out on the porch again,
and think. You had been sitting on the railing and I was in the steamer
chair--O Elsmere Swinburne, where have you been?"

Out from under the porch, rubbing eyes and yawning, came a rumpled
little figure, bits of straw and dead leaves clinging to him, and a big
red Irish setter following.

Algernon bent down and gathered the baby figure up with a tenderness
that made Catherine's heart beat more quickly, as she picked the straws
from the stylish shoes and socks, and the barefoot upper legs.

"Where were you?" she repeated.

"Hotspur's house, all cozy," sighed Elsmere. "Warm house. Did go to
sleep. Bosquitoes bite me. Bite my legs. I want my supper," and drooping
over his tall brother's shoulders he fell asleep again.

"Come around to-morrow afternoon early, Algernon," said Catherine, as he
moved away with his burden. "I have a plan I want you to help me carry
out. I know you'll like it. It's something nice for you and Winsted."

CHAPTER TWO

GETTING STARTED

By fifteen minutes past three the next day, Algernon