pines, hemlocks, and sumachs. A little farther, and openings
appeared between them, through which open spaces on top could be seen,
bushes, a field, and yes, actually! a little brown patch, which was a
house. There it was, and Eyebright held Genevieve up that she might
see it, too.

"That's our house, my child," she whispered. "Aren't you glad? But my!
don't it look small?"

It was small, smaller even than it looked, as they found, when, after
saying good-by to Mr. Downs, and getting directions for crossing the
"Causey," they climbed the steep path which led to the top, and came
out close to the house. Mr. Bright gave a low whistle as he looked at
it, and Eyebright opened her eyes wide.

"It's a comfort that we're not a large family, isn't it?" she said,
quaintly. "I'm almost glad now that Wealthy didn't come, papa.
Wouldn't she say it was little? Littler than Miss Fitch's schoolhouse,
I do believe."

The front door was fastened only by a large cobweb, left by some
industrious spider of last year, so it was easy to make their way in.
There was no entrance-hall. The door opened directly into a square
kitchen, from which opened two smaller rooms. One had shelves round
it, and seemed to be a sort of pantry or milk-room. As they went into
the other, a trickling sound met their ears, and they saw a slender
stream of clear spring water running into a stone sink. The sink never
seemed to get any fuller, but the water ran on and on, and there was
no way to stop it, as Eyebright found after a little examination.

"Isn't that splendid?" she cried. "It just runs all the time, and we
shan't have to pump or any thing. I do like that so much!" Then, as if
the sound made her thirsty, she held her head under the spout, and
took a good long drink.

"Do taste it. It's the best water that ever was," she declared.

This spring-water, always at hand, was the only luxury which the
little house afforded. All the rest was bare and plain as could be.
Upstairs were two small chambers, but they were more like
chicken-coops than bedrooms; for the walls, made of laths not yet
plastered, were full of cracks and peep-holes, and the staircase which
led to them resembled a ladder more than was desirable. There was
plenty of sunshine everywhere, for there were no blinds, and the sweet
yellow light made a cheerfulness in the place, forlorn as it was.
Eyebright did not think it forlorn. She enjoyed it very much as though
it had been a new doll's