“Yes, a pleasant story.  Once the Great Evil Spirit threatened to destroy the whole world.  The trees heard the threat and the oak tree begged him not to do anything so wicked.  He insisted but at last he agreed not to do it until the last leaf had fallen in the autumn.  All the trees meant to hold On to their leaves so as to ward off the awful disaster, but one after the other they let them go—­all except the oak.  The oak never yet has let fall every one of its leaves and so the Evil Spirit never has had a chance to put his threat into execution.”

“That’s a lesson in success, isn’t it?  Stick to whatever it is you want to do and you’re sure to succeed.”

“Watch me make my garden succeed,” cried Dorothy.  “If ‘sticking’ will make it a success I’m a stick!”

CHAPTER IV

GARDENING ON PAPER

When Saturday came and the United Service Club tramped over Dorothy’s new domain, including the domain that she hoped to have but was not yet sure of, every member agreed that the prospect was one that gave satisfaction to the Club as well as the possibility of pleasure and comfort to Mrs. Smith and Dorothy.  The knoll they hailed as the exact spot where a house should go; the ridge behind it as precisely suited to the needs of a garden.

As to the region of the meadow and the brook and the rocks and the trees they all hoped most earnestly that Mrs. Smith would be able to buy it, for they foresaw that it would provide much amusement for all of them during the coming summer and many to follow.

Strangely enough Roger had never found the cave, and he looked on it with yearning.

“Why in the world didn’t I know of that three or four years ago!” he exclaimed.  “I should have lived out here all summer!”

“That’s what we’d like to do,” replied the Ethels earnestly.  “We’ll let you come whenever you want to.”

Roger gave a sniff, but the girls knew from his longing gaze that he was quite as eager as they to fit it up for a day camp even if he was nearly eighteen and going to college next autumn.

When the exploring tour was over they gathered in their usual meeting place—­Dorothy’s attic—­and discussed the gardens which had taken so firm a hold on the girls’ imaginations.

“There’ll be a small garden in our back yard as usual,” said Roger in a tone that admitted of no dispute.

“And a small one in Dorothy’s present back yard and a large one on Miss Smith’s farm,” added Tom, who had confirmed with his own eyes the glowing tales that Della had brought home to him.

“I suppose we may all have a chance at all of these institutions?” demanded James.

“Your mother may have something to say about your attentions to your own garden,” suggested Helen pointedly.

“I won’t slight it, but I’ve really got to have a finger in this pie if all of you are going to work at it!”