农场中的家具等全都失修已久，房产代理人来信希望约翰叔叔能够汇50美元以便打理农场，约翰叔叔寄去了500美元。同时，他购买了各种所需用具并陆续托运到离农场最近的火车站，天气一天比一天热，大家都盼着早日去农场度假。
The Major hunted up the real estate dealer's former letter as soon as he reached his office next morning.The printed letter—head，somewhat blurred，because too much ink had been used，read as follows：
Marshall McMahon McNutt，
Real Estate Dealer &Horses to Pasture by the week or month.
Also Plymouth Rock Hens &Road Commissioner Agent for Radley's Lives of the SaintsInsurance and Watermelons My Specialty Millville，Mount County，N.Y.
The Major shook his head doubtfully as he read the above announcement；but Mr.McNutt was the only known person to whom he could appeal to carry out John Merrick's orders.So he dictated the following letter：
Dear Sir：
Mr.John Merrick，the present owner of the Wegg farm at Millville，desires to spend his summer vacation on the premises，and therefore requests you to have the house and grounds put in first—class shape as soon as possible，and to notify me directly the work is done.Have the house thoroughly cleaned，the grass mowed around it and the barns and outbuildings repaired wherever it may be necessary.You are also instructed to procure for Mr.
Merrick's use a good Jersey cow，some pigs and a dozenor so barnyard fowls.As several ladies will accompanythe owner and reside with him on the place，he would like you to report what necessary furniture，if any，will be required for their comfort.Send your bill to me and it will receive prompt attention.
After several days this reply came：
Mister Doyle you must be crazy as a loona.Send me fifty cold dollars as an evvidence of good fayth and I wull see what can be done.Old Hucks is livin on the place yit do you want him to git out or what？Yours fer a square deal Marshall McMahon McNutt.
"John，"said the Major，exhibiting this letter，"you’re onthe wrong tackb.The man is justi？ed in thinking were crazy.Give up this idea and think of something else to bother me."But the new proprietor of the Wegg farm was obduratec.During the past week he had indulged in sundry sly purchases，which had been shipped，in his name to Chazy Junction，the nearest railway station to Millville.Therefore，the "die had been cast，"as far as Mr.Merrick was concerned，for the purchases were by this time at the farm，awaiting him，and he could not back out without sacri？cing them.They included a set of gardening tools，several hammocksd，croquet and tennis sets，and a remarkable collection of ？shing tackle，which the sporting—goods man had declared ？tted to catch anything thatswam，from a whale to a minnow.Also，Uncle John decided to dress the part of a rural gentleman，and ordered his tailor to prepare a corduroy ？shing costume，a suit of white ？annel，one of khaki，and some old—fashioned blue jean overalls，with apron front，which，when made to order by the obliging tailor，cost about eighteen dollars a suit.To forego the farm meant to forego all these luxuries，and Mr.Merrick was unequal to the sacri？ce.Why，only that same morning he had bought a charming cottage piano and shipped it to the Junction for Patsys use.That seemed to settle the matter de？nitely.To be balked of his summer vacation on his own farm was a thing Mr.Merrick would not countenancea for a moment.
"Give me that letter，Major，"he said；"I'll run this enterprise myself."The Major resigned with a sigh of relief.
Uncle John promptly sent the real estate agent a draft for ？ve hundred dollars，with instructions to get the farm in shape for occupancy at the earliest possible day.
"If Old Hucks is a farm hand and a bachelor，"he wrote，"let him stay till I come and look him over.If he's a married man and has a family，chuck him out at once.I'm sure you are a man of good taste and judgment.Look over the furniture in the house and telegraph me what condition it is in.Everything about the place must be made cozy and comfortable，but I wish to avoid an appearance of vulgarity or extravagance."The answer to this was a characteristic telegram：
Furniture on the buma，like everything else.Will do the best I can.McNutt.
Uncle John did not display this discouraging report to Patsy or her father.A little thought on the matter decided him to rectify the de？ciencies，in so far as it lay in his power.He visited a large establishment making a specialty of "furnishing homes complete，"and ordered a new kitchen outfit，including a modern range，a mission style out？t for a dining—room，daintyb summer furniture for the five chambers to beoccupied by his three nieces，the Major and himself，and a variety of lawn benches，chairs，etc.
"Look after the details，"he said to the dealer."Don't neglect anything that is pretty or useful.""I won't，sir，"replied the man，who knew his customerwas "the great John Merrick，"who could furnish a city "complete，"if he wished to，and not count the cost.
Everything was to be shipped in haste to the Junction，and Uncle John wrote McNutt to have it delivered promptly to the farm and put in order.
"As soon as things are in shape，"he wrote，"wire meto that effect and I'll come down.But don't let any grass grow under your feetc.I'm a man who requires prompt service."The days were already getting uncomfortably warm，andthe little man was nervously anxious to see his farm.So were the nieces，for that mattera，who were always interested in the things that interested their eccentric uncle.Besides Patricia Doyle，whom we have already introduced，these nieces were Miss Louise Merrick，who had just celebrated her eighteenth birthday，and Miss Elizabeth—or "Beth"—De Graf，now well past ？fteen.Beth lived in a small town in Ohio，but was then visiting her city cousin Louise，so that both girls were not only available but eager to accompany Uncle John to his new domain and assist him to enjoy his summer outing.
