It is needless to say that the moment school was dismissed the following afternoon every boy and girl who was interested in the new Publishing Company, ran toward the carriage house at Mossy Glen. The teachers, pupils, and even some of the members of the Board of Education had heard of the plans made the day before—for in a small community like Oakdale, news travels rapidly—and the men on the school board were as much interested in the success of the children’s work as if it had been their own undertaking.

Ike had found some splendid pine boards, a number of two-by-four joists, plenty of odds and ends of railing, posts, moulding, and other trim that would make a boy delight in amateur carpentry work.

Nails, screws, hammers, saw, and tools of all kinds were provided, so that each boy could work without delaying or inconveniencing the others. Ike and Simon were to superintend the construction and show the boys how to put things together properly.

Uncle Ben and Mr. Talmage, who went to the city early in the morning to attend to the shipping of the machinery, had not yet returned.

The Blue Birds gathered merrily in their Nest in the cherry tree, with several little girls who had been away during the summer and were eager to join the Nest.

Miss Selina insisted upon walking along the path from the house when Mrs. Talmage started for the Nest and, upon arriving at the foot of the steps that led up to the Nest, looked up imploringly.

“Flutey, I believe you can get up here if I help you!” exclaimed Ruth, seeing her aunt’s expression.

“Oh, no, dearie! What about the rheumatism in my ankles?” groaned Miss Selina.

“Leave it behind!” laughed Ruth, gayly hopping down from the Nest.

“I wish I could!” declared Aunt Selina, taking a firm hold on the handrail and trying to lift up her foot.“Ouch! that hurt my knee-joint!” cried she.

“Flutey! That’s no way to leave that rheumatism behind!” reprimanded Ruth. “Now, make up your mind to walk right up and forget the nasty little pain.”

Mrs. Talmage and the Blue Birds were hovering over the railing of the Nest to advise the two at the foot of the steps. Dot Starr, with her usual bluntness and funny way of expressing herself, called down to Miss Selina:

“Flutey, you just feel those twinges in your joints because you’re spoiled. Mumzie says I am always sicker if I let myself be fussed over and spoiled. She just says, ‘Try to forget it.’ Now, if you were me, you never would be down there a second, but you’d jump here two steps at a time. So, I say like Mumzie would, forget you’re not me, and we’ll see you pop up here like magic!”

Aunt Selina felt like rebuking Dot, but the children smiled sympathetically and knew Dot was sincere in her desire to help the old lady, so the invalid replied instead,

“Dot, that is just the trouble! I can’t forget the habits of seventy years. I wish I could make-believe I was as young and spry as you are.”

“If you wish, then you can! Remember the story of Sarah Crewe?” cried Ruth, helping Miss Selina to the next step.

“I saw an old lady up in Casco Bay town last summer who was older than you and she never had time to remember her age, because she had to work all day for other folks. She said she slept like a baby every night. Daddum said one reason she looked so young was that she hadn’t time to worry about growing old,” said Dot.

“If I had had to work for others instead of being pampered until I couldn’t do a thing for myself, maybe I would feel as young as anyone,” admitted Aunt Selina.

Meantime, without being conscious of the act, the old lady was being helped up the steps by Ruth, until, at the last words, she reached the top.

“Why, I’m up and never knew it!” she laughed.

“That’s just the way to forget!” cried Dot, clapping her hands.

“And you’ve left your troubles behind as I told you to,” added Ruth.A chair was placed for Aunt Selina who looked about the Nest with keen interest.

“Mary Talmage, I just wager this was all your idea, wasn’t it?” she commented, as she noted the sides of the Nest covered with straw matting, and the cute wicker table and chairs.

“Yes, Flutey, it was. But listen until we tell you how we found this Nest and the furniture,” said Ruth, and all the Blue Birds chirped in to tell the story about the Nest and how the furniture was found hidden in unexpected places about the lawn and in the shrubbery.

Aunt Selina chuckled, but Mrs. Talmage spoke with some seriousness.

“Blue Birds, time is flying, and we must talk about our magazine.”

Ruth then explained the presence of the children who wished to join the Nest. Mrs. Talmage looked sorry.

“Dearies, I would like to have you with us, but really I cannot take proper charge of more than I have at present. I want to do the work right and that will be impossible with too many in one Nest. But I have a suggestion to offer. Mrs. Catlin is so interested with us in the work that I am sure she will gladly start you in a Nest of your own. She has plenty of time, and a beautiful place, so you will be just as happy there as here. We can all meet when necessary and talk over affairs together. I will write a note to her and explain, then you can take it over.”

“I know Mrs. Catlin! We live on the same street!” exclaimed one of the children.

“I guess we all know Mrs. Catlin, and like her; if we can’t join Ruth’s Nest, I’d like to be in one of Mrs. Catlin’s,” said another little girl.

After bidding them good-by as they ran across the lawn, the Blue Birds settled down to hear the plans for work on the magazine.

“I have some ideas which I would like to present to save time,” said Mrs. Talmage.

“I apportioned a page to each one of you to edit and expect you to have the line of writing that best suits your ability.

“For instance,” continued Mrs. Talmage: “To Dot Starr, who did the cut-out paper furniture so well at the school-house this summer when we made the paper doll houses for the city children, I gave a page called, ‘What Can Be Made of Paper.’“To Edith, who always makes such good candy, I gave the ‘Candy Kettle.’

“To Betty, who is clever with her pencils, I gave the ‘Drawing Lesson.’

“To Ruth, who loves housekeeping, I gave ‘Household Hints.’

“To Norma, who likes to sew, I gave the ‘Doll’s Wardrobe.’

“To May, who takes such good kodak pictures, I gave the ‘Camera Corner.’

“To Frances, who is an adept at puzzles and games, I gave ‘Puzzledom.’

“There are besides many other pages to edit which I think will have to be done by the boys, and some grown-ups, so I just jotted down the names of the boys that I think are capable of doing it.

“I gave Ned a page for ‘Domestic Animals,’ Meredith Starr can have a page on ‘Wild Animals,’ and Jinks a page on ‘Insects and Reptiles.’

“Then, there will be need for other articles which the other boys can supply, and they can all help with the publishing. I shall write to an old friend who was judge of the Juvenile Court for years, and most likely has very interesting stories to tell. Another well-known writer of children’s books lives in Washington, D. C., and I feel quite sure of her interest when I tell her what our plans are. Besides, Uncle Ben knows people who will contribute, as he told us so.”

“Oh, Mrs. Talmage, do you really believe the magazine will be so good that folks will subscribe for it?” questioned Norma.

“Why, of course! Didn’t you hear Uncle Ben say that he would be ashamed to send anything less than a real magazine through the mail?—That we would have to do our work over again if it was poorly done?” said Mrs. Talmage.

“Just think! My name on a magazine page with my cut-out furniture on it!” cried Dot, hugging her sides.

“How many folks will get one, do you suppose?” asked Betty.

“The more the merrier,” laughed Mrs. Talmage.

“Mother Wings, how do people get a list of names where children want a magazine?” asked Ruth.

“Oh, different ways. Uncle Ben may have a list of families where there are children. I know dozens of friends who have children; Mrs. Catlin does, too. Then, there are the Wells, Stevens, Starrs, and so on: all families who know other families where there are children. Why, friends of mine in England and Germany will take this magazine if I send them a sample copy. And so a list grows when everyone tries to help.”

“If we are only printing this magazine to help along our farms for poor children I don’t see why anyone in Europe would want to take the paper,” said Dot.

“Don’t you be so sure about that, Miss Dot!” said Aunt Selina. “After this organization gets agoing I believe it will make such a stir that its light won’t ‘be hidden under a bushel’ very long. Only keep your magazine at high-water mark, and you will see a marvel before the year is over.”

Aunt Selina’s remark made such an impression on Mrs. Talmage that she suddenly realized how important their venture might turn out to be, providing everyone did their best.

A loud halloo coming from the direction of the carriage house called the Blue Birds’ attention to the open door. Mr. Talmage and Uncle Ben were standing there beckoning for the Blue Birds.

Aunt Selina found she could get down from the Nest quite nimbly, and all started toward the building which was to be known in the future as the “Publishing House.”

Inside, about twenty boys were sawing, hammering, and calling to each other while Ike and Simon bossed the work. At one side of the entrance the front corner of the large room had been measured off, and a partition about six feet high erected. This office had a wide window in front, and a closet on the side wall. The partition was of oak-stained ceiling boards that had been taken out of an attic chamber of the Talmage residence when that room had been refinished. The partition had a door to match, and the boys’ work was exceptionally good. Six boys were busy completing the nailing of the partition and two more were so engaged upon hanging the door that the visitors were scarcely noticed.

“Hi, there! Jinks, start that screw, will you?” called Ned, trying to balance the door on his toes while the hinge insisted upon slipping out of the notch that had been made for it.

“I will, if you will stop wriggling the old thing!” replied Jinks, who had pinched his finger several times and had become wary of the unsteady door.

Ike saw the difficulty the boys were having and, while the Blue Birds stood watching the struggle, came over and offered to help them.

“This scene is as good as a vaudeville, Mary,” laughed Uncle Ben. “That’s why I wanted you to see it.”

“Oh, I think they have done wonderfully well,” replied Mrs. Talmage, with interest.

“They have, and Ben is so tickled with the boys’ whole-hearted support of the plan, that he is having the time of his life,” added Mr. Talmage.

The other boys had made a strong bench to sit upon, and a rude table with a board top.

The whole interior of the place was covered with sawdust, shavings, and pieces of timber. Planes and chisels were in constant demand, and hammers, screw-drivers and saws were all making a veritable bedlam of a noise, when Ike called “Time.”

“Too dark to see what you are doing,” he explained.

“Turn on the electric lights, Ike,” said Ned.“Better not—you boys have done far more than we thought you could and there is no use in ‘driving a willing horse to death,’” advised Mr. Talmage.

As the boys dropped tools and stretched tired arms, or bent backs, they realized that the unusual work had made muscles ache.

“Get on your caps and coats, Bobolinks, and come out on the lawn to hear of my trip to the city,” said Uncle Ben.

In a few moments the room was empty and the children crowded about Uncle Ben who sat cross-legged on the soft grass, while Ike placed chairs for Aunt Selina and Mrs. Talmage.

“Well, to start at the beginning, I took the eight-ten train this morning, and I was introduced to the Oakdale Commuters as ‘Uncle Ben of the Blue Birds and Bobolinks.’ That was reference enough for anyone. I was looked upon as a man to be envied and I even saw covert glances from some jealous eyes that looked me up and down and saw no especial favor to have boosted me in the estimation of the B.B. & B.B. Company.”

“Now, Uncle Ben, stop your fooling and tell us about the trip,” rebuked Ruth.“I am, Fluff, but I want to begin at the right end of the story,” teased Uncle Ben.

“Oh, begin anywhere, only get somewhere!” cried Mr. Talmage, laughing.

With a sigh that indicated that he was misunderstood, Uncle Ben continued his story.

“Mr. Wells, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Starr, Mr. Wilson, and many other men you know promised to advise and assist the boys in every way possible.”

“What did Daddum say?” cried Dot, eagerly.

“Don’t interrupt, Dot!” admonished Meredith, sternly.

“Well, Mr. Starr offered a series of articles on his experiences in lumber camps, and, besides, he promised to take hold of any part of the plan in which we could use him,” replied Uncle Ben. “Mr. Wells has a book that will prove valuable for our undertaking. It is a directory of benevolent institutions and contains the names and addresses of every asylum or home in the country.”

“Why, Uncle Ben, that is exactly what we need to find our sick children for the farms, isn’t it?” said Ruth, happily.

Uncle Ben nodded his head and continued.

“Then, Mr. Stevens offered to have his solicitors try to secure some advertising for the magazine. His agency is one of the best in the city and I think his offer a fine one.”

At the idea of having advertisements appear in the magazine, the Blue Birds and Bobolinks looked at each other in surprise.

“We never thought of that!” ventured Ned.

“Sounds like real work, when you hear the words ‘solicitors’ and ‘advertisements,’ doesn’t it?” commented Jinks.

“I’ve been trying to make you understand from the first that this will mean work as well as pleasure,” insisted Uncle Ben.

“They’ll all wake up to that fact soon enough, Ben—go on with your story,” laughed Mr. Talmage.

“Mr. Wilson, who is connected with the Oakdale Paper Mills, then offered to donate enough paper to get out several months’ issues, so I accepted that offer with delight, thinking you could make use of Aunt Selina’s offer in some other way. Mr. Wilson is going to bring some samples of paper over to the Publishing House soon and let us make our selections. A man whom I just met offered to speak to the Manhattan Subscription Agency about taking subscriptions for you and giving the magazine a good position in their next catalogue.”

“So much good luck actually turned Uncle Ben’s head,” laughed Mr. Talmage, during a moment’s silence. “Why, he hardly knew what he went to the city for, and I had to guide him by the arm to show him the way to his office.”

“Of course, my friends here know better than to believe any such scandalous tales about me!” replied Uncle Ben, looking at his brother as if to dare him to tease any more.

The children always enjoyed these make-believe quarrels between the two brothers, and Ned generally egged them on. To-day, however, he was too eager to hear about the trip to the city and so urged Uncle Ben to finish the story.

“We found the machinery that I think you can best use here, and had it prepared for shipment. Just as we were leaving the store-room a man came down with a load of type.

“‘Where are you taking that?’ I asked him.

“‘Boss said to send it off to be melted down,’ replied the man.

“‘Just leave it on top of this packing case—I’ll see that it is taken care of,’ I told him, and he did as I said.

“Now, boys, all of that type is coming out here for you to work with. I had it charged to my account at the office, for it was a ‘big find’ to get hold of some type just at the time we needed it,” concluded Uncle Ben, taking a long breath of relief.

“And now, I’ll tell you of all the things Uncle Ben forgot to mention,” laughed Mr. Talmage.

“When we left the stock-room and went to his office, he picked up the telephone and called up more friends than I ever thought he knew. Two or three of them were invited to lunch with us, and the others were told about the wonderful work the Oakdale children were planning. Every one of his friends was told to help along or suggest some way to boost the magazine. Of course, they had to promise.”

Uncle Ben chuckled to himself as his brother told about the telephone experiences.

“Now, we come to the time when this crafty uncle of yours met his friends at lunch. What do you think his plot was? Well, just listen and I will tell you,” and Mr. Talmage nodded his head warningly at his brother.

“One of his guests was Mr. Connell, the man that owns one of the largest engraving plants in the city. This Uncle Ben told his story in such an engaging way that that business man actually offered to turn out the plates you needed for the magazine at actual cost for several months. We all know what that means—several hundred dollars on the credit side of the ledger.”

All eyes were turned toward Uncle Ben for confirmation of the great offer, and he nodded his head smilingly.

“One of the best business advisers I know in New York said that he thought you children had an unusually good idea for a successful business investment, and hoped that you would keep it up until you were adults and saw the financial benefit in it,” said Uncle Ben, seriously.

The girls were pleased at this news, but the boys were hilarious to find that a clever business man approved of the plan they were working out.

“When will the machinery be here, Uncle Ben?” asked Ned.

“It is coming by freight and will take a few days, but you will be kept busy until then in finishing the shop-work,” returned Uncle Ben.

“Yes, indeed, we will have to build some stands for type, too, with the boxful you got for us,” answered Ned.

“We Blue Birds spent all of our afternoon engaging editors to take charge of the pages,” ventured Ruth, who thought the Blue Birds had been quiet too long.

“You’ll have to have all the pages ready to hand over to me by the tenth of October, you know; I’ll need about three days for making linotype and then you can have the proofs back,” said Uncle Ben.

“Oh, we will have everything ready long before the tenth,” laughed Mrs. Talmage.

“From the way the Blue Birds are working, I should say that each one will have about five hundred pages written by that time,” added Aunt Selina, smilingly.

“In that case, we will have to have each page add a notice at the bottom: ‘To be continued in our Nest.’”