The accumulation of ages. But a lot
of it is antique, girls, and worth fixing up. I've made the best haul
of our career, I verily believe."

Then Laura Hilton, who had accompanied Edna, added:

"When Mrs. Dyer saw our men carrying all that stuff down, she looked as
if she regretted her act and would like to stop us. But she didn't--was
ashamed to, probably--so we lugged it off. Never having been used to
antique furniture, the poor woman couldn't realize the value of it."

"This seems to me almost like robbery," remarked Lucile, doubtfully.
"Do you think it right for us to take advantage of the woman's
ignorance?"

"Remember the Cause for which we fight!" admonished Irene, from her
chair. "If the things people are not using, and do not want, can
provide comforts for our soldier boys, we ought to secure them--if we
have to take them by force."

The attic of the old house had really turned out a number of
interesting articles. There were tables, stands, settees, chairs, and a
quaint old desk, set on a square pedestal with a base of carved lions'
feet. This last interested Josie as soon as it was carried into the
shop. The top part was somewhat dilapidated, the cover of the desk
being broken off and some of the "pigeonhole" compartments smashed. But
there was an odd lot of tiny drawers, located in every conceivable
place, all pretty well preserved, and the square pedestal and the base
were in excellent condition.

Josie open drawer after drawer and looked the old cabinet-desk over
thoroughly, quite unobserved because the others in the shop were
admiring a Chippendale chair or waiting upon their customers. Presently
Josie approached Mary Louise and asked:

"What will you take for the pedestal-desk--just as it stands?"

"Why, I'll let Irene put a price on it," was the reply. "She knows
values better than the rest of us."

"If it's fixed up, it will be worth twenty dollars," said Irene, after
wheeling her chair to the desk for a critical examination of it.

"Well, what will it cost to fix it up?" demanded Josie.

"Perhaps five dollars."

"Then I'll give you fifteen for it, just as it stands," proposed Josie.

"You? What could you do with the clumsy thing?"

"Ship it home to Washington," was the prompt reply. "It would tickle
Daddy immensely to own such an unusual article, so I want to make him a
present of it on his birthday."

"Hand over the fifteen dollars, please," decided Irene.

Josie paid the money. S