Page:Carroll Rankin--Dandelion Cottage.djvu/128

 106  tear as much as she can of this old paper off the wall; it's so ragged it comes off very easily."

"The roof used to leak, but my brother Rob unrolled some tin cans," said Bettie, "and nailed them over the place where the truly shingles are gone, and it never leaked a mite the last four times it rained."

"The plaster seems fairly good," said Mr. Blossom. "I could mend these holes with a little plaster-of-paris if some obliging young lady would run with this dime to the drug store for ten cents' worth."

"I'll go," said Mabel. "I don't think I like peeling walls."

"Mabel," said Miss Blossom, "isn't really fond of work, but I notice that she usually does her share." Everybody helped to mend the cracks, and everybody watched with breathless interest to see the first long strip, upheld by Mr. Blossom and guided by Miss Blossom and the cottage broom, go into place.