CHAPTER. PAGE. I. A COERCED COOK 1 II. MINERVA STUDIES NATURE 14 III. AN EAST WIND 27 IV. A FRIENDLY BURGLAR 40 V. THE CONSTABLE CALLS 58 VI. MISS PUSSY TRIES FLY PAPER 73 VII. MINERVA’S PASTORAL 81 VIII. THE ’CORDEEN COMES 91 IX. A NAKED SCUTTERER 108 X. WE PLAN A CONCERT 123 XI. THE HORSE IN THE KITCHEN 134 XII. “THE SIMPLE LIFE” 140 XIII. AN UNSUCCESSFUL FIASCO 158 XIV. THE-FOURTH-OF-JULY 173 XV. MINERVA’S NATURE STUDY 194 XVI. WHEN THE LAW IS ON 206 XVII. THE STORY OF A PIPE 217 XVIII. WE FIND A PIANO 225 XIX. TH’ OULD SCUT 240 XX. A MUSICAL TRAMP 252 XXI. WE MAKE HAY 258 XXII. “DING DONG BELL” 266 XXIII. ELIGIBLE 276 XXIV. PAT CASEY CALLS 292 XXV. A CONTINUOUS WEEK END 299 XXVI. WE INVITE MORE GUESTS 310 XXVII. A HOT NIGHT 319 XXVIII. “TRAMP’S REST” 333 XXIX. MINERVA AND THE SNAKE 339 XXX. A HORSEHEAD PERCH 350 XXXI. THE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY 361 XXXII. WE GO TO THE FAIR 373 XXXIII. CHERRY DISPOSES 392 XXXIV. MINERVA SETTLES IT 409 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE THE BALLOON, MINERVA, A _Frontispiece_ SHRIEK, AND A SHOUT “STEAL AWAY” 148 “TH’ OULD SCUT” 242 SHE MADE A CROQUET WICKET OF 358 HERSELF ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Illustration] CHAPTER I A COERCED COOK.