Indignation gave Merry courage to state her wishes boldly, though she knew the boys would laugh.  They did, and her mother said in a tone of surprise,—­

“Why, child, what more can you want?  I’m sure your room is always as neat as a new pin, thanks to your bringing up, and I told you to have a fire there whenever you wanted to.”

“Let me have some old things out of the garret, and I’ll show you what I want.  It is neat, but so bare and ugly I hate to be there.  I do so love something pretty to look at!” and Merry gave a little shiver of disgust as she turned her eyes away from the large greasy boot Dick was holding up to be sure it was well lubricated all round.

“So do I, and that’s a fact.  I couldn’t get on without my pretty girl here, any way.  Why, she touches up the old place better than a dozen flower-pots in full blow,” said the farmer, as his eye went from the scarlet geranium to the bright young face so near his own.

“I wish I had a dozen in the sitting-room window.  Mother says they are not tidy, but I’d keep them neat, and I know you’d like it,” broke in Merry, glad of the chance to get one of the long-desired wishes of her heart fulfilled.

“I’ll fetch you some next time I go over to Ballad’s.  Tell me what you want, and we’ll have a posy bed somewhere round, see if we don’t,” said her father, dimly understanding what she wanted.

“Now, if mother says I may fix my room, I shall be satisfied, and I’ll do my chores without a bit of fuss, to show how grateful I am,” said the girl, thanking her father with a kiss, and smiling at her mother so wistfully that the good woman could not refuse.

“You may have anything you like out of the blue chest.  There’s a lot of things there that the moths got at after Grandma died, and I couldn’t bear to throw or give ’em away.  Trim up your room as you like, and mind you don’t forget your part of the bargain,” answered Mrs. Grant, seeing profit in the plan.

“I won’t; I’ll work all the morning to-morrow, and in the afternoon I’ll get ready to show you what I call a nice, pretty room,” answered Merry, looking so pleased it seemed as if another flower had blossomed in the large bare kitchen.

She kept her word, and the very stormy afternoon when Jill got into trouble, Merry was working busily at her little bower.  In the blue chest she found a variety of treasures, and ignoring the moth holes, used them to the best advantage, trying to imitate the simple comfort with a touch of elegance which prevailed in Mrs. Minot’s back bedroom.