"But you must not put your mother or me to any trouble about fixing up the room," added his father; "you must be contented with the bare floor; and if you want the things which are stored there put up out of the way, you must re-arrange them yourself, and be sure they are as neatly and safely placed as they were before."
"I am perfectly willing to agree to that," returned Johnny, looking brighter than he had before since the announcement that Felix was to spend the summer with them. "Can I begin to get the room ready to-day?"
"Yes," replied his mother. "I have no objection, since I am not to do any thing about it, and can trust you not to put any thing out of order in moving the articles about."
Johnny went up into "the attic," as it was called, immediately, followed by Sue. There was only one finished room in the French roof: this was in front, and was occupied by Kate. The remaining space was not plastered, and had great beams overhead: it was called "the storeroom," and was separated from Kate's room by a narrow hall formed by the placing of a light board partition about four feet distant from the finished room in front. A thin plank door, without lock and key, was in the end of the partition, near the head of the stairs. There were four large windows in the room,—one at each side, and two in front.
"It's a real pleasant room, isn't it?" said Johnny, looking about with interest for the first time; for he had never entered the room before except for the purpose of storing something there, or getting something which had been put away in some of the trunks or boxes. These trunks and boxes, some old furniture, and a large cedar chest in which his mother kept furs and other expensive articles liable to be disturbed by moths, were scattered about rather promiscuously, without regard to any particular order.
"I'll tell you what I've a mind to do," said Johnny. "I think I will put all the things that are stored here at the back part of the room, and then I'll take the old clothes-line, and draw it across in front of them, and hang some of mother's old drapery curtains on it: I don't believe but that she has enough to go clear across the room; only I shall leave an opening in front of the door to get through."
"Mamma's got a set of old cretonne, real pretty, too, with bright red flowers on them; and I know she'll let you have them," said Sue.
"And she's got another set, of cheese-cloth, that she won't use again," said Johnny. "There's four more: I'll alternate them,—that will be prettiest. I guess they'll go clear across, and be a little full too. And then see what a monstrous room we shall have left all to ourselves!"
"But you won't let me come in, will you? I thought you wanted it all to yourself."
"Oh! I shall let you come in sometimes, when you don't want to romp; and perhaps I will let Felix in once in a great while, when I am sure he won't stay long: but, as I shall have a lock and key, I can keep folks out when I am reading or busy.