Beth for once in her life did not demur. She was so worn out that she
was really glad to go to bed. After a good night's rest she was much
better, but she continued lame for several days.




CHAPTER VI

House Building

The Gordons had several cords of square cut wood in their back yard,
and this inspired Julia and Beth to a great undertaking. They built a
house, piling two sticks lengthways and two crossways, one above the
other, and so on until they had laid the walls for three rooms. They
worked like beavers, and Mrs. Gordon, amused by this new scheme of the
two indefatigables, and thinking to herself that the children would
probably be tired of the house by the time the wood was needed, allowed
one of the servants to help. He used the top of the box in which the
piano came for a roof, boarded the floors, and, in the middle room,
helped to make an alcove. In this Julia and Beth piled up wood for a
bed, saying that they did not mind if it was hard.

When completed, the girls took out to their new paradise everything
they dared lay hands on, and asked Mrs. Gordon to inspect their work.

"'Walk into my house,' said the spider to the fly. 'It's the
beautifulest house you ever did spy,'" quoted Julia, purposely changing
parlor to house. "Just walk in. You can stand up--well, almost--if
you stoop a little bit. This is the kitchen," she continued, for she