Nancy Brandon

era was more curious. She poked into the farthest corners, even opening obscure little cubby-holes that Nancy had not yet discovered. All the while they talked about the Townsen

read box, "here we came away out here to be peaceful, quiet and studious. Mother looked for

lied Ruth, "that stil

shoe-string shop," protested Nancy. "Of course it will serve me right if I get into an awful squall.

ways hoping the dishpan will spring a leak, and dish-towels will blow away?" Ruth was making

. Just now she was fussing with some discarded a

" she sai

?" asked Ruth. "I

around here would ever

He'd spend days tinkering with it." Nancy took the red and blue tin toy a

cute. Save it for the small brother, Nancy. And I think he's awfully cute. Here's some

when he does go at it. Yes, I think Ted is cute, and I hope the disappearing man won't cast a

er insists that what everyone says must be tru

But he has enough of eyes to make up for the l

mented. "I never n

our class in chemistry, I'm afraid you would just have to notice his merry, twinkling eyes. Anyhow," and Ruth cocked up a

d of windmill. Look at the cross

y had said, different from the usual model. It had cross pieces on top

urniture is in storage you know," she put in to explain the scarcity of things at the country place, "Ted went up to the attic and found an old wooden gun. It

op," exclaimed Ruth, "and if you'll let me

ny Davis, to visit me, but she's gone down to the shore first. Bonny's lots

Ruth answered. "W

rom ebony, you know. Now Vera, what have you discovered?" broke off Nancy, loo

nsends went bankrupt. Here are boxes and boxes of wires and weights, and I don't know what all.

fish!" t

k a special sale of fishing and sport supplies wo

Nancy, you had better be careful what you try to sell to the young fishermen around

" declared Nancy.

ek," replied Ruth. "But we only get sunnies

mptly decided that Ruth and Vera should very soon introduce Nancy to the sport. The idea of having a sale of the outfit at

one induce you to take the Whatnot out of the window. That'

would be lots nicer," suggested

d Ruth. "But we don

her do we sell Whatn

the Whatnot," argued Ruth. "And be

shed at once a comradeship among all three, and Nancy was convinced that her own desire to go into business was not, after all, very queer. Other gi

gly, "if you'll let me, I'll help you with your hou

t do some of it, you know. Even a good store keeper should know how to cook a little," she pretended, vow

her drawl was "delicious," Nancy admitted. Of course she was gossipy. There was all that nonsense about Mr. Sanders. As if any human being could really disappear. Ted would just howl at the idea, Nancy knew, and if the man were really a profess

screen door, (the shop was not yet supposed to be op

ore mother comes. I wish Ted would hurry along home. Of cou

oom, for her pride was now prompting her. Whatever would Vera Johns say to such a looking

she had to begin at a definite spot, "and I just strai

loor, safe, however, under a big chair, and a paste-board box of books that she also didn't want to lose track of, the portable phonograph cover, the phonograph itself was reposing safely on the cor

débris. Finally, having gotten most of the stuff into a corner, she undertook to

ad while I'm waiting. Then the phonograph-That can go in there just as well, it may draw customers." At this Nancy laughed, but she picked up the little bla

cy was thinking, for the difference in the size of their old

excelsior that were still an eyesore about, Nancy at length man

"There's no reason why we shouldn't make a pretty room of a kitchen

om contamination with the remains of a smudgy odor from burnt potatoes-which by-the-way, had not yet come to light, no

the dishpan away so as not to bend the longest stalk, whi

he poet more valuable than the