The next few weeks Bob spent sharpening up their tools, oiling the machines and touching up the paint on those that showed wear. As soon as this was completed, he began making fifty additional concrete apiaries. The bees had paid so well the previous year that he decided to increase their number to one hundred colonies. Another thing that caused him to arrive at this decision was a letter from Edith, a few days before, saying she had her mother's permission to return to Brookside in the early spring and that she would again spend the summer with them.
"Do you know what day this is, Bob?" asked his uncle a few weeks later, as they sat down to breakfast.
"It's Thursday, Uncle Joe," said Bob.
"Yes, Thursday, March first, and it will be just one year to-morrow since you came to Brookside Farm. Your Aunt Bettie and I've been talking it over and we've decided we should take our inventory to-day and balance our books to-night, and see how much we've made or lost during the year," he added smiling. "Bettie thinks it's better to take inventory on March first instead of April first, so that all the labor that goes on the spring plowing may be charged in the new year. As soon as we have our breakfast, Bob, we'll go to the barn and take a careful inventory of all the grain, live stock, poultry and other products."
It took them until four o'clock in the afternoon to make the inventory, which was then laid aside until after supper, when they would figure out the amount and compare the results with the previous year.
They had just sat down to supper when the door of the dining room was suddenly opened and there stood Ruth and Edith, cheeks aglow and eyes sparkling.
"Where in the world did you girls come from?" asked their aunt, who was the first to see them.
"Oh, we came in on the afternoon train," laughed Ruth, "and we got
Henry Smith to drive us out. We wanted to surprise you."
"Well, you certainly have," said their uncle, as they all crowded around to welcome them back to Brookside Farm.
"Where's your new farmhand, Aunt Bettie?" asked Ruth. "I want to see him."