Norma dropped her trowel and fork and raced after Belle to the gate to watch the private jitney go past. But Sam stopped in front of the gate and Frances beckoned to the girls.

As Belle ran out to see what was wanted of them, a well-dressed lady, seated in the tonneau, smiled and said:

"I alighted at Greenville by mistake. I was directed to a country place beyond White Plains, where I hear I can buy some antiques. I am in the business in New York, but I haven't time now to wait for another train and go on to visit this lady. Your young friend here thought the one named Belle might possibly undertake this commission for me, as she was at liberty to sell her time. Which of you is Belle?"

Belle immediately signified that she was the one, and the lady continued: "I believe you know something of antique furniture and china?"

"Something-because I started a little collection of my own at home. I have read many books to be had at the Library on the subject and can tell a Wedgewood jug or bowl or a Staffordshire plate, as readily as anyone. I also know the different Colonial period furniture when I see any."

"Splendid! Then you can act as my agent up here, if you will. I must get back to keep an appointment in New York at two o'clock, but you can hunt up this old farmhouse for me that is somewhere west of Pleasantville, on a road that is described accurately on this map," said the stranger, as she unfolded a paper and glanced at it to see that it was the right one.

This was handed to Belle, and the lady continued:

"If you find anything there-or at any place in this section of the country-such as bra.s.ses, dishes, furniture, or pictures, telephone me at my business address and I will make an appointment to meet you wherever it is. Will you consider it?"

"I should like nothing better, if you think I can do it for you,"

returned Belle, delighted at the prospect.

"I think you can, and for this service I will pay you for the time you actually give to the pursuit. Also I will pay for the hire of the car, as I explained to this young lady here.

"If you can possibly find time to go to this house to-day, it will please me greatly, as I want information about the four-poster canopied bed I hear is there for sale. Telephone me full particulars after you come back, will you?"

Belle agreed eagerly to the proposition, and the lady then mentioned the salary she would pay, by the hour, for this service of Belle's. Also Frances mentioned her charge for the use of the car, which was agreed to without demur.

"Now I wish your man would drive me to the railway station at the nearest point where a train can be taken without losing more time. I do not care which town it is, as long as I can get back to the city before two o'clock."

Belle was left standing speechless on the footpath as the car drove rapidly away, and Norma smiled happily. "Did you pray as I told you to, Belle?" asked she.

"Uh-huh!" was all the reply Norma got, but she understood Belle's ways and ran back to her flowers without another word. Belle walked slowly toward the house to get her hat and handbag so as to start on the new venture as soon as Frances returned from the White Plains railroad station.

CHAPTER XIII-BELLE'S CHOICE OF A PROFESSION

Solomon's Seal Patrol invited the Tenderfoot members to their camp on the afternoon before the Fourth of July to begin their lessons in scouting. Frances agreed to notify the three Greenville girls of the invitation and then call for them at the time appointed.

Because of the afternoon to be spent at the camp, Natalie planned to give her entire morning to the garden. There had been enough rainfall at intervals, during the time she had first started her garden, to keep the plants sufficiently moist, but for several days, now, the sun had baked the soil and there had been no sign of a cloud in the sky.

At breakfast that Sat.u.r.day morning Natalie spoke of it. "Jimmy, my garden is as dry as a lime-kiln. What had I better do about it?"

"You might try sprinkling it with a hose. I see there is a hydrant right near the box-hedge-for that very purpose, I guess."

"I never thought of that! But I will need a hose," said Natalie.

"I saw one in the cellar, Nat, when I was nosing about for some old flower-pots to cover my transplanted flowers," now remarked Norma.

"Then I'll get it out right after breakfast, and see if it will screw onto the hydrant."

Norma went with Natalie as she went down the outside cellar-steps to the part.i.tioned corner where the hose had been seen. It was wound on an old wooden rack that could be carried up to the gra.s.s-plot and turned to unwind the long piece of rubber.

"Isn't it great to discover this all ready for us?" said Natalie delightedly.

"With a bra.s.s cap on one end to screw it to the hydrant, too," added Norma.

The other girls gathered around to watch the two gardeners manipulate the hose, and when it had been carefully unwound Natalie dragged one end over to the hedge to try and screw the cap to the hydrant.

This was soon accomplished, and Norma then straightened out the length of rubber to allow the water to flow through it more readily when Natalie should turn the faucet. As the unexpected advent of a garden hose was a cause for celebration, the four girls called to Mrs. James to come out and watch the sprinkler work.

Rachel felt that she must be on the spot also, so she hurried out, wiping her wet hands on her ap.r.o.n as she came.

"All ready, Nat,-turn on the water!" called Norma, as she picked up the end with the sprinkler on it.

Natalie turned the bra.s.s faucet and instantly the flow of water swelled the hose out, but there were many punctures in its length, and one serious crack, so that the water spurted up through the holes and made graceful fountains. There was enough force of water, however, to cause a fine shower of water to come from the sprinkler, until suddenly, without warning, a sound as of a m.u.f.fled explosion came, and quite near the sprinkler the rubber burst and shot forth a stream of water.

"Wait a minit, Honey-I'll run an' git a piece of mendin' tape what I foun' in my kitchen closet," called Rachel, hurrying up the stoop-steps and disappearing through the doorway.

The girls tried to stop the undesired spurt of water by placing their hands over the crack and on other holes in the length of the tube. Then Rachel appeared with the bicycle tape, and was just coming down the steps when Natalie called to her.

Norma still held the sprinkler in her hand and now turned to see what Rachel had; in so doing, she unconsciously turned the end of the hose also, so that instantly all the girls trying to stop the leakage were thoroughly sprinkled.

Such a screaming and shouting ensued that Norma instantly turned to see what had happened. This time the water drenched Mrs. James, who fled precipitately for the house.

Rachel was haw-hawing loudly at the funny scene when Norma turned to explain the accident to the girls. Without warning, the shower now fell upon Rachel, who had approached within its radius.

But the latter was not as docile about being soaked as were the girls.

She dashed forward, caught the hose from Norma's hands and threw it upon the gra.s.s.

"Turn dat water off at d' hydran', Natalie Av'rill!" shouted the irate woman.

Natalie had been laughing immoderately at the outcome of the experiment with the hose, but she quickly obeyed Rachel's order and turned off the water.

"You thought it was awfully funny, Rachie, until you got a soaking yourself," called Natalie, still giggling.

"Me! I wa'n't mad, a'tall! I jes' wants to mend dis pipe, an' one cain't do nuthin' wid water flyin' through it at such a rate. Now I kin wrap dis tape aroun' it an' fix it, so's you kin water your gardens,"

explained Rachel loftily.

After this incident the hose was mended and Natalie soon had her young vegetables well watered and left to the mercy of the sun that day. No one at Green Hill Farm knew enough to advise her not to water the plants while the sun was shining upon them, and Natalie fondly fancied she had done a good thing.

Norma sprinkled her flowers well when Natalie had done with the hose, but the flower beds were sheltered from the noonday sun, so they did not fare as badly as did the vegetables.

Sam was in the barnyard helping Janet construct a new shed for the calf which she wanted to buy the next week, and he was not so well versed in farm-lore, so Natalie never understood why all her tender seedlings should wilt so quickly and seem to dry away before the afternoon heat.

The tomato plants, that had been transplanted from Mr. Ames's farm, had grown wonderfully well, and were large enough to warrant Natalie's starting the frames which would be needed when the red fruit appeared on the vines. So she planned how to make the best kind of square frame for them, as she loosened the soil about the potato plants that morning.

Her thoughts were so filled with the vision of the lath frames that she failed to see something crawling on a tiny leaf of the potato vine where she was hoeing. When her eye was attracted to the movement, she gave a slight shudder and screamed.

"Wat's d' matter now?" called Rachel from the kitchen steps.