“I suppose we would have to build some sort of little houses, or temporary camps for them to sleep in, and a long shed in which to serve the meals. It will need a lot of planning.”
“Dear me, I wish we could run and ask mother about it,” murmured Ruth, impatiently. “Now, if you were only visiting me instead of me being here with you!”
“If I had gone to you, you might never have had the idea of using these woods for the children,” ventured her aunt.
“No, that’s so,” admitted Ruth. “And we can go back to the house and write all our plans down on paper and send them to mother, can’t we?”
Aunt Selina consenting, Ruth wheeled the chair back to the house. When they reached the steps the invalid felt so strong that she lifted herself out of the chair and climbed up the low steps with only Ruth to lean upon.
“Why, I never felt a twinge in my joints all this time! I never knew rheumatism to disappear so quickly as it has this time,” she said, as she sank down in a low chair.
“Let’s hope it won’t come back again,” added Ruth. “If it stays away you could pack up and go to Oakdale with me, couldn’t you?”
Aunt Selina, who never visited and seldom left her home, looked horrified for a moment. But Ruth continued innocently,
“We could get all of mother’s advice for the farm plans besides seeing father and being home with him!”
Sally, who had seen Miss Selina coming up the steps without a cane, thought some miracle had been performed. So, wishing to hear all about it, she hurried out with the announcement that dinner was almost ready.