into neglect. More than once the Captain had spoken vexedly of
the untidy lawns, and said he was ashamed for visitors to come to
the house.

So Judy, brimming over with zeal, armed herself with an abnormally
large scythe, and set to work on the long, long grass.

"Good heavens, Helen! you'll cut your legs off!" called her
father, in an agitated tone.

He had stepped out on to the front veranda for a mild cigar after
the mulberry just as she brought her scythe round with an
admirable sweep and decapitated a whole army of yellow-helmeted
dandelions.

She turned and gave him a beautiful smile. "Oh, no, Father!--why,
I'm quite a dab at mowing."

She gave it another alarming but truly scientific sweep.

"See that--and th-a-at--and tha-a-a-at!"

"Th-a-at" carried off a fragment of her dress, and "tha-a-a-at"
switched off the top of a rose-bush; but there are details to
everything, of course.

"Accidents WILL happen, even to the best regulated grass-cutters,"
she said composedly, and raising the scythe for a fresh circle.

"Stop immediately, Helen! Why ever can't you go and play quietly