"Oh, indeed?" returned the young man; and he came promptly
up the steps, and through its ribs into the reception-room.

"Have a trestle?" asked the Colonel, while the girls
exchanged little shocks of terror and amusement at the eyes.

"Thank you," said the young man simply, and sat down.

"Mrs. Lapham is upstairs interviewing the carpenter,
but she'll be down in a minute."

"I hope she's quite well," said Corey. "I supposed--I
was afraid she might be out of town."

"Well, we are off to Nantasket next week. The house kept
us in town pretty late."

"It must be very exciting, building a house," said Corey
to the elder sister.

"Yes, it is," she assented, loyally refusing in Irene's
interest the opportunity of saying anything more.

Corey turned to the latter. "I suppose you've all helped
to plan it?"

"Oh no; the architect and mamma did that."

"But they allowed the rest of us to agree, when we were good,"