“Oh, we expect them to die off after a time, but that won’t do any harm, for we will have had the effect of certain trees in certain groups and places, and we can easily supplant them with the same kind and size, late in the fall. All we need now is to coax the birds to nest in the houses and these food trees will bring them,” explained Norma.
“Besides, we have already chosen certain shrubs and trees in the woods to take the place of any that may die. We tied red flannel ribbons on them to mark them, and Jimmy wrote the class and other information on tags which we tied to their trunks in case the leaves are all off before we can dig them up,” added Janet.
“Oh! do you expect to visit the farm on weekends this fall?” asked Mr. Wardell, rather pleased at the idea of having Janet get a few days in the country every week.
“Week-ends! Why, Father! We intend remaining on the farm until all the fall work is finished,” declared Janet.
“You don’t mean that you will stay on after school opens?” was Mrs. Wardell’s amazed question.
“Why, certainly, Mother! We will have to stay if we intend prospering with our business, next spring,” said Janet.
Every one had crowded around the three speakers and now Mr. Marvin said teasingly: “Perhaps you will change your minds—once you get back to New York, and will not want to return to Green Hill next summer.”
The five girls gasped at such a ridiculous statement and Janet and Norma retorted at the same time: “Not come back! you haven’t the slightest idea of what we have at stake here!”
The adults laughed heartily at this answer and then Norma’s parents took up the catechism. Said Mr. Evaston: “What about school when it opens in the fall?”
“Oh, we are all going to commute to New York with Natalie. She has to stay here until snow flies, you know, to have everything in fine order for us next year.”