four girls would be free for all the reading and the tennis and the sewing and the tramping which the press of examination preparation had forced aside. And they would all be together again this s

of the trio occupying her front porch. She did not wait for any of

had strawberries for dinner last night," s

ort-cake." Priscilla smac

n Ruth. "It was so warm along about nine o'clock, you

es in the patch, sticking their heads out from under the leaves, as if they were beg

's manner indicated that there was a back

town," Amy continued. "Aunt Phoebe Cummings, only that is

t a new uncle at your

him, 'Uncle Philander-Behind-His-Back.' But to his face, he's Mr. Frost. You see, Aunt Phoebe isn't exactly an

y Lassell," interposed Peggy. "Now Aunt Abiga

mpatience. "What has all th

and they've got strawberries to burn. And almost every year Aunt Phoebe says she

that Mrs. Philander has been begging you to do this for the l

r day and took dinner with us, and when she left, she broached the subject again. She said the strawberries would be at their b

Aunt Phoebe. Strawberries boxed and displayed in show windows, or even transformed into such delicacies as short cake and ice cream, seemed prosaic all at once. What they wanted was to be turned loose in a strawberry patch, to stain their fingers pluckin

awberry season is the most charming time of the year. The four ate an early luncheon at Peggy's home, and then took the trolley for the outskirts of the city. Once outside the cit

usual size. She greeted them as affectionately as if they had all been nieces by adoption, and conducted them indoors to take off their hats. The

ily it opened the door of the closet which contained the Frosts' family skeleton. Aunt Phoebe reddened as if Amy's innocent remark had been a slap in the face. "My sitting room carpet's worn out," she sai

ost, yo

gracious! It gives me a chill to think of this room in November without a carpet on the floor. I

. Like many people who do not ask a great deal of life, she was the more insistent regarding the few things she counted essential. The bare floor, ec

tch. As this was really what they had come for, they acquiesced heartily, and Aunt Phoebe led the way. Her kindly old face lost its pensiveness as she watched the laughing girls picking the berries from the vines, their lips and f

o their defense. "Philander Frost, this is my niece, Amy Lassell, and she's brought out some young friends

r of profound melancholy. "I don't grudge a few strawberries any

ion. Her withered skin, suffused by a burning blush, rivalled the vivid colorin

urned away while four girls stood motionless in the strawberry patch, as if

t all you want to." But though as a matter of principle, the girls attempted to obey, the sweetness had gone from the luscious fruit. They ate hal

of it, and when they still insisted, led the way to the house. "I don't think much of strawberries without trimmings, myself

nowy covering of the small, round table, the big dish of choice berries made a fine showing. Then Aunt Phoebe brought out a pitcher of rich yellow cr

t Phoebe, helping them with lavish hand. "

mments, when he again made his appearance. Peggy lost the thread of the story she

Some folks is afraid to eat too many strawberr

. Aunt Phoebe, however, straightened herself over her saucer. "

th the cost of living so high, sensible folks ought to do without everything that ain't

oing to have one, too," said

of the girls, as if he hoped to find an ally in one of them. "Carpets are hiding-places f

ch like mine," exploded Aunt Phoebe, "ju

. Frost. "Of course paint is very expensive thes

She addressed herself to Mr. Frost, and her manner was propitiatory. "A p

" exclaimed Aunt Phoebe, plainly bewil

. Frost, eyeing Amy approvingly. His manner indicated that as

friendly gaze with interest, "that I wouldn't mind

t Phoebe, yet none of them considered this the real explanation. Whatever her intention, it was plain that Amy had made a conquest of Uncle Philander-Behind-His-Back. For the rest of their st

brought up the subject of the floor. "If you s

t him. "I'll get the other girls to hel

near enough paint left

f apoplexy, for the barn was the color of a ripe pumpk

folks appreciative," declared Mr. Frost. "Strawberries are bringing a

ady good-by, she pulled her close and whispered in her ear. It was impossible to know what she said, but Aunt Phoebe's lugubrious coun

ut a week later when she called on them to accompany her and assist in the painting of Aunt Phoebe's sitting-room floor. Thoughtlessly Amy had s

r to pay your uncle Philander-Behind-His-Back, I want to do my share." And to this, Amy replied imperturbabl

" The trio was fairly on its way. "She kn

dn't be much of a help

nner indicated that if any criticism of Peg

lained. "It never seems to take a vacation the way ours do

an?" demanded Prisci

and handed it to Priscilla. A similar one was bestowed on the perplexed Ru

?" frowned Priscilla. Then with a

el

nt is mos

ed Ruth excited

y, "are all the colors of the rainbow in half pint ca

anically, while Ruth too amazed for

hoebe's floor is going to loo

nding her voice. "You can't do anyth

be to take him off for the day. The key to the

she

o be able to say she didn't know a thing about it

ated. "I suppos

g floor that he will be only too

After a minute Priscilla joined in. And then all three leaned back in the seats in

," admitted Priscilla, at length, wiping her eye

st right," declared Ruth.

, and before she married him she got no end of fun out of doing things for other people. And now the dear old soul can't even treat her friends t

ew that it seemed an invitation to enter. Indoors they found the living room made ready against their coming. All the

they had worn as farmerettes, while Ruth donned a worn-out bathing suit. Then Amy pried off the cov

h was most in evidence to one standing in the doorway. Amy taking possession of the can of yellow paint, set herself to reproduce a sunrise in the center of the room, the yellow rays radiating from the central golden orb in the most realistic ma

red, yellow, green, black, and purple. Nothing more gorgeous than Aunt Phoebe's painted floor could possibly be imagined. Even the highly colored chromos on the wall paled before it. In some respects it suggested an old-fashioned crazy-quilt, though when the dragon and the black cat we

et the full benefit of the bottle of turpentine Amy had brought along for cleansing purposes, and they went back to town with green and purple smudges on their fingers. As soon

't help thinking it's exactly what Uncle Philander-Behind-His-Back deserves. And if it really

ask to be excused. "Aunt Phoebe is coming in town for some shopping," she explained, and interrupted herself by an