nion-beds, intensive culture,
irrigation, proteids, white Wyandottes, trap-nests, insecticides,
sugar-beets, and bacteria. Miss Todd, keenly interested, joined in the
conversation with the zeal of a neophyte; Miss Beverley, the
nature-study side of whose education had been neglected, and who
scarcely knew a caterpillar from an earthworm, followed with the uneasy
air of one who is out of her depth; the school, eating their
bread-and-butter and blackberry jam, sat and listened to the talk at the
top end of the table.

"It sounds rather brainy," commented Diana in a whisper.

"Yes," replied Wendy, also in a subdued tone. "Poor old Bunty's
floundering hopelessly. Did you hear her ask if they were going to
cultivate cucumbers in the open? I nearly exploded! I believe she thinks
pineapples grow on pine-trees. She's trying _so_ hard to look as if she
knows all about it. I'll be sorry for the infant cabbages if she has the
care of them."

"It wouldn't be her job, surely."

"I'd agitate for a 'Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Vegetables'
if it were. I believe I'm going to adore Miss Chadwick! She looks so
sporty. She wrinkles up her nose when she laughs, just like a baby
does."

"The little dark student with the freckles is my fancy."

"Oh! I like the other, with the bobbed hair."

Miss Chadwick, with her assistants Miss Carr and Miss Ormrod, brought a
new and decidedly breezy element into the school. They spent Saturday in
reviewing the premises, and on Monday they set to work. The girls, who
as yet were only in the position of onlookers, watched the operations,
much thrilled. All sorts of interesting things began to arrive: portable
hen-houses packed in sections, chicken-coops, rolls of galvanized wire
netting, iron stakes, the framework of a greenhouse, and a whole cargo
of tools. The three enterprising ladies seemed to have some knowledge of
carpentry, and at once began to fit parts together and erect sheds.
Their sensible land costumes excited admiration and envy.

"It's what I mean to do when I grow up," resolved Magsie. "Did you see
the way Miss Carr ran up that ladder? And she's begun to thatch the roof
so neatly. She does it far better than that old man from the village who
potters about. I'm just yearning to try my hand at thatching. I wish
Miss Carr would let me!"

While they were busy getting the place in order, Miss Chadwick and her
assistants declined all offers of inexperienced help, assuring th