“Kin I say sump’n?” said she to Ethel, and Ethel, rather astonished, said, “What is it?” “They’s a lot of boards out in the woodshed, an’ James could build a place for those gen’lemen.” “The very thing,” said Tom. “That’s it. That’s _IT_. Just ask ’em up and save their lives.” “But you said it would kill ’em dead to come up,” said Cherry. “Oh, they wouldn’t stay dead five minutes in this air,” said he. “Come on. If I hadn’t been an artist I would have been a carpenter. Send for ’em. I’ll help build the shack.” I looked at Minerva. Her face was beaming. She loved company. “What do you think, Ethel?” “Why, the more the merrier,” said she. “Are they congenial?” “Congenial’s no name for it,” said Tom. “Both of ’em starving. Neither has sold a picture in six months, and the night before I came away they dropped in at my studio, and when I told ’em where I was coming they were as happy as if they were coming themselves, and were going to share in it. Two nice, promising boys, and perhaps this would be their salvation.” “Have them come by all means,” said Ethel. And Minerva went out to tell James the good news. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XXVII A HOT NIGHT. IT was a hot, clear moonlit night. Our newly arrived guests, after an evening given up to piano music and song, had retired to their various cubby holes. But peace did not lie upon the house, for it was the hottest night of the season and mosquitoes—hitherto an undreaded foe, attracted by the unwonted light and the music, had descended upon us and as, of course, screens were not dreamed of in a place where the mosquito rivals the tramp in scarceness, they had entered the house and were singing their infernal songs in the ears of people fresh from a mosquitoless city. I was mortified. It seemed a breach of hospitality to invite people up to a place where every prospect pleases and man is not so vile, and then to let loose a horde of mosquitoes upon them. It was between three and four in the morning, and soon the first signs of dawn would be upon us.