"Girls, what are we going to do with the ceiling!" asked Miss Elting,
regarding it with wrinkled forehead.

"We might paint in white between the beams, covering the beams
themselves with green," suggested Harriet.

"That would be pretty," agreed the guardian, tilting her head to one
side and regarding the ceiling reflectively. "Yes, it would be very
artistic. Have we any green paint?"

"We'll have some," answered Jane promptly. "What shade?"

"Grath green," suggested Tommy.

"Olive," suggested Hazel.

Miss Elting nodded. Olive green paint would look well for the ceiling,
she decided. Already the interior of the houseboat was beginning to
brighten. But they saw that, to do a thoroughly good job, at least two
coats of paint would be necessary. They hoped to get one coat of paint
on before night, putting on the finishing coat on the following morning.

The slap, slap of the brushes outside had ceased and the men were heard
talking. Jane rushed out brandishing her paint brush.

"Get to work, you lazy bones!" she shouted. "Am I paying you for holding
conversations about red paint! On with your work!"

Jane presented such a ferocious appearance that the painters resumed