“Then it is yours to do as you will with it, only let Norma and me act as your aides in doing it,” laughed Mrs. James.
“If we three consolidated and began alterations on the grounds of Green Hill, few people would recognize the place in a year’s time,” rejoined the hostess, smilingly.
“We’ll do it!” declared Norma eagerly.
“When you remember the rolling, artistic natural grades of the farm, and the sheltered, as well as exposed areas for planting, is it not a wonder the former tenant could not see the beauty in flower-growing?” said Mrs. James musingly.
“Will you come over the first thing tomorrow morning?” asked Norma anxiously.
The ladies laughed and Mrs. Tompkins replied: “I’ll try to drive over when Farmer Ames goes back home.”
The other girls now joined the three people on the piazza and Hester said: “We’re all going to join the scout patrol, Mother, and there will be lots of fun after this, all summer through.”
CHAPTER III
AN AUTOMOBILE IS DONATED.
Norma left the basket of plants in the cool cellar for the night, but she was up in the morning before anyone was astir in the house, in order to get the plants in the ground before the sun rose high. She was busily engaged in digging holes with a kitchen coal-shovel and planting the roots carefully as Mrs. Tompkins had shown her when Mrs. James came out and saw her at work.
“Ha! the early bird catches the flowers!” called Mrs. James, as she ran across the grass and joined Norma at the garden.