“I—I believe I have,” said Ruth slowly. “But I don’t suppose it can be the same farm Madge means. It is a big stock farm and it’s not many miles from Darrowtown where I—I used to live once. That farm belonged to a family named Benson——”
“And a family named Steele owns it now,” put in Madge, promptly. “It’s the very same farm. It’s a big place—five hundred acres. It’s on a big, flat-topped hill. Father has been negotiating for the other farms around about, and has gotten options on most of them, too. He’s been doing it very quietly.
“Now he says that the old house on the main farm is in good enough shape for us to live there this summer, while he builds a bigger house. And you shall all come with us—all you eight girls—the Brilliant Octette of Briarwood Hall.
“And Bob will get Helen’s brother, and Busy Izzy; and Belle shall invite her brothers if she likes, and——”
“Say! are you figuring on having a standing army there?” demanded Mercy.
“That’s all right. There is room. The old garret has been made over into two great dormitories——”
“And you’ve been keeping all this to yourself, Madge Steele?” cried Helen. “What a nice girl you are. It sounds lovely.”
“And your mother and father will wish we had never arrived, after we’ve been there two days,” declared Heavy. “By the way, do they know I eat three square meals each day?”
“Yes. And that if you are hungry, you get up in your sleep and find the pantry,” giggled The Fox.
“Might as well have all the important details understood right at the start,” said Heavy, firmly.