"Sally, what a beautiful farm Aunt Selina has! It looks lovelier this morning than ever, but it makes me sad when I think that no one can enjoy it except the folks that live here," said Ruth, in a tone of regret.
"Ya'as, Chile, I feels sorry dat Miss S'lina had dem high board fences put up to keep anjoyin' eyes from de propaty. An' den agin, I kin s'cuse de little chillern dat sneak fru de back fences jus' to pick wilets an' paddle in de brok up dere;" and Sally looked toward the inviting woodland, whence came the sound of running water.
"If Aunt Selina is to be a really truly Blue Bird she will remove whatever keeps others from enjoying what she has," commented Ruth, seriously.
A bell, tinkling from an upper room, summoned Sally hurriedly indoors, so Ruth sat down in a large wicker rocker to await her aunt's coming.
Sally soon came and told Ruth breakfast was ready and there sat Miss Selina welcoming her with a cheery smile!
"Do you feel as happy and free as a Blue Bird, Flutey?" asked Ruth, giving Aunt Selina a hearty embrace.
Unaccustomed to such healthy demonstrations of affection, she suffered her lace cap to be pulled over one ear while her other was uncomfortably doubled under Ruth's plump little arm.
"Yes, Fluff, I feel unusually well this morning. I slept like a babe all night," replied her aunt.
"That's the way all Blue Birds sleep. Not one of us would stay in bed a minute just because something tried to make us feel too tired or sick to get up early in the morning! You know, the Camp Fire Girls receive honors for keeping free from illness, and some day the Blue Birds expect to join the bigger girls in their Camp Fires. So we begin to practice good health now," explained Ruth.
The breakfast passed quickly with not a sound or sigh from Aunt Selina about rheumatism. Sally was the most astonished of all, for it had become second nature with her mistress to talk about her pains and woes at all times.
"While I was waiting on the piazza, this morning, I planned to take you for a nice long walk," said Ruth.
"Why, my dear, I simply cannot walk out of doors. I could hardly hobble about the house this morning."
"Oh, I s'pose you couldn't walk very well, but I can walk and you can ride in the wheel-chair. I will push it, and we will go down the meadow path toward the summer-house," said Ruth.
