ed the
patient with her energetic hugs and moist, warm kisses.

"Too bad, too bad--ants bite Gertie, too bad! Jilly fine 'em."

Jilly had not forgotten her own sad experience with the ants and not
seeing any visible cause for Gertie's woes, evidently thought they were
the guilty ones again.

Jilly was irresistible. Gertie had to laugh, even if the tears running
down her face, did leave a salty taste in her mouth. She hugged the
small comforter. Jilly, however, was not to be turned from her hunt. She
insisted upon pulling down Gertie's stockings and making a minute search
for the culprits. Her little tickling fingers and earnest air completed
Gertie's cure, and Jilly adopted her as her own particular property from
that day on, seeming to consider her in need of protection.

Marian declared they must all come and have dinner with her. Ernest and
Sherm were already there and they had a merry meal in the little
cottage, for Marian made them all help--even the big boys. She tied a
blue apron around Sherm and set him to stirring gravy while Ernest
watched four cherry pies almost ready to come out of the oven. She had
despatched Katy and Jane to the springhouse after milk and butter.
Gertie, assisted by Jilly, set the table.

Sherm had burned a nice fiery red during his morning's plowing. He was
immensely proud of his efforts.

"I tell you Sherm's some farmer for a tenderfoot," said Ernest, telling
about the number of corn rows he had done.

"Better come stay with us, Sherm."

"Haven't I come--I love the ranch. But I suppose I've got four years of
college ahead of me."

"You'll have time enough after that, Sherm," said Frank, "but if you
should want to try ranching, you'd better come out this way."

"No ranching for me." Ernest thumped the table with his fork
emphatically. "You can have my berth, Sherm, and welcome. The only thing
I care for here, is the hunting. By the way, Frank, are you and Marian
going hunting with us?"

"I'd like to. What do you say, Marian?"

"Why, if there's room for so many."

"I wish we could ask Captain Clarke," Chicken Little spoke up.

"My, you are daffy about the Captain, Jane. He wouldn't go--you couldn't
hire him to if he knew Alice and I were to be of the party. Queer he is
so charming with Jane, and with the men and boys, and so very reserved
and stiff with women."

"He probably has some reason for disliking your sex. Perhaps, if we'd
let him go with the children and the boy