rs a day was
enormous wages in that part of the country.
Nobody knew just what to say.

"Oh, well!" cried Red, "let's everybody
run--I reckon I can find something to do for
the five of you--are you with me?"

"Yes, sir," they said promptly.

"Can I borrow a hammer or so off you, old
man?" questioned Red of the smith.

"Certainly, sir," returned the latter heartily.
"Take what you want."

"Much obliged--and the gate hinges are
out of whack--Miss Saunders' place, you
know--come over and take a squint at 'em
in the near by-and-by, will you? May as well
fix it up all at once--come on, boys!"

It was thus that the greatest enterprise that
Fairfield had seen in many a day was
undertaken. Miss Mattie was simply astounded as
the army bore down upon the house.

"Whatever in the world is Cousin Will
doing?" said she; but resting strong in the faith
that it was necessarily all right, she was
content to wait for dinner and an explanation.
Not so the post-mistress. The agonies of
unrequited curiosity the worthy woman
suffered that morning until she at last summoned
up her resolution and asked the smith plump
out and out what it all meant, would have to
be experienced to be appreciated. And the
smith kept her hanging for a while, too,
saying to himself in justification, that it wasn't
right the way that old gal had to get into
everybody's business. The smith was like
some of the rest of us; he could see through
a beam if it was in his own eye.

III

There was a great din of whacking and hammering that morning. Red
worked like a horse, now that he had company. A sudden thought
struck him and he went into the house.

"Mattie," said he.

"Well, Will?"

"I see a use for the rest of that nice big roast of beef I smell in
the oven--let's have all these fellers stay to dinner, and give 'em
one good feed--what do you say?"

"Why, I'd like to. Will--but I don't know--where'll I set them?"

"Couple of boards outside for a table--let them sit on boxes or
something--got plates and things enough?"

"My, yes! Plenty of such things, Will."

"Then if it ain't too much trouble for you, we'll let it go."

"No trouble at all, Will--it will be a regular picnic."

"Boys, you'll eat with me this day," said Red.

They spread the board table beneath an old apple tree, and cleaned
up for the repast in the kitchen storm-shed with an apologetic,
"Sorry to trouble you, Miss Saunders," or such a matter as each
w