they sat down to breakfast before they rose to go upstairs and make ready
for their visit to Harlowe House.

"There is no use in trying to begin our real work to-day," declared Grace,
as the three left Mrs. Elwood's and strolled slowly along College Street
in the direction of the caretaker's house. Mr. Symes, who had faithfully
executed so many commissions for Grace, had been selected as the best
possible person to look after the house. "Mr. Symes was to see that
everything was unpacked before we arrived. We shall have to employ two men
to move the heavy furniture. Thank goodness and Mrs. Gray, there are no
carpets to be laid. The floors are all hard wood and there are rugs for
every room except the kitchen and laundry."

"I brought an old dress along," Elfreda informed her friends. "I helped Ma
set our cottage to rights this summer and I know something about work. We
had two maids and a scrubwoman. The maids were in my way, so I sent them
off for a holiday and the scrubwoman and I tackled the job and went
through with it like wildfire. Ma nearly had a spasm, but she liked the
looks of things when we had finished. You should have seen me, though. Ma
didn't like my looks. I guess I did resemble a human mop if you know what
that looks like."

"I can imagine," laughed Grace. "If you attack the business of putting
Harlowe House to rights with the same energy, I shall know exactly how you
looked when you cleaned the cottage."

"Perhaps you will," Elfreda grinned boyishly. "I hadn't thought of that."

"You couldn't see that far ahead, could you?" quizzed Grace with twinkling
eyes.