little light, still the figures of some score of stooping boys might have
been discovered, advancing in broken formation along the road.

The leader silently opened the gate leading to the dooryard of Growdy's
place. His barns stood near the house, so that the confusion which
reigned was all the more noticeable. Its equal had never been known
around Stanhope; and could only be expected in the case of a place where
a woman's influence for cleanliness had been totally absent during the
past ten years.

Over to the stable went some of the boys.

Paul had talked it all over with them as they walked, and each knew what
part he was to take in the general clean-up.

To some of them it was simply another form of a lark. Boys are queer
creatures even to those who imagine they know them well. They must be
doing something all the time. Once get them started in the right
direction, and they will labor just as sturdily to bring about a good
object, as under other conditions, they would work to play a joke. It all
depends on how they begin. And thanks to the sagacity of Paul, he had
succeeded in interesting them in the novelty of his proposal.

Some secured rakes and hoes, and began to systematically gather up the
scattered loose material that covered the place, ankle deep. Others
pushed the wagons, and the old dilapidated buggy, back into the shed in
systematic order.

They worked like busy bees, chuckling, whispering and evidently getting
considerable fun out of the strange frolic.