"Oh, turkeys are such a bother!" cried Evaline. "They take so much running after--always going where they might get hurt." She had had some experience in minding young turkeys. "But just think of the money we'd have," Almira reminded her. "And you know we'll have to work for our missionary money somehow." "That's so," said Evaline, who was not fond of work. "It might as well be turkeys as anything else." "Mamma," said Marty one morning, "Hiram says he'd like to join the band. But a great big man can't belong to a mission-band, can he?" "He might be an honorary member," suggested Mrs. Ashford. "What sort of a member is that?" "He could attend the meetings, take part in the exercises, and contribute money, but he could not vote." "Well, maybe Hiram would like to join that way. S'pose we ask him;" and off she and Evaline flew in search of Hiram. They found him up by the barn. "O Hiram!" said Marty. "I just now told mamma about your wanting to join the mission-band, and she says you might join as an _honorary_ member." Hiram stuck his pitchfork in the ground, rested his hands on the top of it, and his chin on his hands. "What's that kind of a member got to do?" he asked slowly. "You may give money, but you can't vote," Marty instructed him. Hiram thought over it a good while, and then said very gravely, though his eyes twinkled, "Well, I guess giving money's the main thing after all, isn't it? I reckon I'll join if you'll let me." "We'll be ever so glad to have you," said Marty warmly. She felt as if it was partly her band, and was interested in seeing it growing and flourishing. They were nearly back to the house when Evaline suddenly stopped, exclaiming, "You never told him he might come to the meetings!" "Neither I did! How came I to forget that! We must go right back and tell him." When they reached the barn again, they saw Hiram at the foot of the hill, just entering the next field; but hearing the girls shouting, "Hiram! Hiram!" and seeing them running to overtake him, he strode back across the fence, and seated himself on the top rail to wait for them. "I forgot a most important thing," said Marty, panting for breath. "Mamma says honorary members may attend the meetings." "Maybe I hadn't better attend them," said Hiram with a quizzical look. "I might want to vote." "Oh, do you think you should?" asked Marty anxiously. Hiram bit off a piece of straw and chewed it, slowly moving his head from side to side, appearing to meditate profoundly, while the little girls waited in suspense. "Well," he said, after he had apparently thought the matter over, "I suppose I can hold up from voting; and I reckon you can count on me to come." And come he did, the very next Sunday, appearing to take great interest in the proceedings. CHAPTER XVI. A FLOWER SALE. "Oh, look! Look over there!" exclaimed Marty. "What are those lovely white flowers?" "Wild clematis," replied Evaline.