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 *piping, Miss Comfort. Maybe you thought that was new pipe, but it wasn't. It was secondhand. We just shined it up, you see!" Laurie waved an all-encompassing hand. "Same way with the other things—more or less."

"That sink isn't second hand, is it?" she asked.

"Well, no, ma'am, not the sink." Laurie smiled engagingly. "But sinks aren't expensive. I was surprised, honest, I was, ma'am, when we got the price on that! Why, seems like things don't cost half what they did a couple of years ago!"

"Mr. Laurie," said Miss Comfort firmly, sitting very straight in her chair and looking at him earnestly, "you shouldn't try to deceive me. I know that you and the others have spent a great deal of money, and I'd feel horribly if I thought it was all yours. Now, please tell me."

"Well—well, it's like this. We did put in a few dollars, Miss Comfort, but not enough to mention, and we were so glad to do it that you oughtn't to care a mite. Then—then two or three other folks, grown-ups, you understand, wanted to help out, and there was quite a good deal to be done, and so we took the money and