“I’ll wait here, Janet, and see dat no harm comes to our birds,” said Sam, sitting down on a stump to wait and watch.
“All right, Sam—I’ll be back in a little while. I’ll get the girls to come out to the pines on the knoll and there they can see the whole effect, with the fowl on the lake,” cried Janet, starting to run back the way she came by way of the barn.
“Why don’t you cross the bridge, Janet, and save time!” called Sam, wondering at her preference.
“Oh! So I can! I forgot all about that bridge, Sam!” laughed Janet, turning and running for the little bridges which had not been walked upon since the water began flooding into the lake. So Janet was the first foot passenger to cross them.
She reached the center of the large bridge and stood to have a look over the scene and see how her water fowl looked as they played about in the water at the lower end of the lake. The whole picture as it appeared from the pretty bridge, so filled Janet with joy and excitement that she couldn’t bear to lose another moment from calling her friends to come out and see the entire scene.
Soon after Janet had left the house, after rousing Sam, Mrs. James heard a strange sound in her sleep. As it was near her usual rising time, she awoke and turned over to listen. Her room was directly over the dining room so the windows overlooked the dam.
She sat up in bed with hearing strained, to determine what that unfamiliar sound could be when suddenly it dawned upon her that it was the water that fell from the top of the dam to the log and concrete base on the ground.
In another second, she was out of bed and over by a window. Then the sight that met her eager eyes was so beautiful that she drew in her breath suddenly with a gasping sound. She forgot the girls in her satisfaction over the demonstration made by the lake. It was so much more beautiful than she had pictured it would be, that it really seemed like a vision to her.
Then she remembered how delighted the girls would be to see this wonderful result of their labors and persistent work. So she ran and called Norma first, then Natalie and next Janet—but Janet was out and gone! Then she remembered what had been said about a secret surprise to be sprung on them that morning.
Norma and Natalie both rushed to the window at the same time, Frances and Belle following to take their places at the other window. For a few moments not a word was said because the four girls were so astonished at the beautiful view before them. Then there was a chorus of excited girlish voices, and Norma rushed away to dress and hurry down to the lakeside.