present. It would probably take another fortnight to finish
the roof, and at least a week beyond that before the place would be fit
for them to move in.

"You see, Marion, I have built it very much on the plan we decided upon
on board the ship, only I was obliged to make a change in the position
of the kitchen and men's room. The two Grimstones are going to set to
work to-morrow to dig up a portion of the ploughed land behind the house
and sow vegetable seeds. Things grow very fast here, and we shall soon
get a kitchen-garden. As to flowers, we shall leave that to be decided
when you come here."

"I wish I could come over and live here at once and help," Marion said.

"There is nothing you can help in at present, Marion, and it will be
much more useful for you to spend a month in learning things at Mr.
Mitford's. You undertook to do the cooking; and I am sure that will be
quite necessary, for father and mother could never eat the food our
Maori cook turns out. And then you have got to learn to make butter and
cheese and to cure bacon. That is a most important point, for we must
certainly keep pigs and cure our own as Mr. Mitford does, for the stuff
they have got at most of the places we touched at was almost uneatable.
So, you see, there is plenty to occupy your time until you move in here,
and our comfort will depend a vast deal upon the pains you take to learn
to do things properly."

"What are you going to roof it with, Wilfrid?" Mr. Renshaw asked.

"We are going to use these poles, father. They will be split in two and
nailed with the flat side down on the rafters, and the shingles are
going to be nailed on them. That will give a good solid roof that will
keep out a good deal of heat. Afterwards if we like we can put beams
across the room from wall to wall and plank them, and turn the space
above into a storeroom. Of course that will make the house cooler and
the rooms more comfortable, but as it was not absolutely necessary I
thought it might be left for a while."

"I think, Wilfrid, I should like to have the rooms done with boards
inside at once. The outside and the ceiling you speak of can very well
wait, but it will be impossible to get the rooms to look at all neat and
tidy with these rough logs for walls."

"It certainly will be more comfortable," Wilfrid agreed. "Mr. Mitford
will get the match-boards for you. I will measure up the walls this
evening and let you know how much will be required. And now s