"You can't cook two geese on that stove, my dear, so you'd better use this kitchen as much as you like... And how are you going to let Charles and those other men know about the feast? Charles said he was coming over this afternoon, but if you want them all you'd better ride over now and ask them. I can tell you how to get to their headquarters - Charles told me - it's only about six miles away... Your uncle thinks that there's nobody like David just at present - after his Charles, of course - so he'd better go and find him and tell him your plans."

So Peter rode off on Sally and David went to find Uncle Micah, while Dickie and Mary sat on the white gate at the top of the wood and gloated over their adventure of yesterday and the feast to come. After a little, Tom and Jenny came up the track, but were not much impressed by the twins' air of mystery, as they had met Peter on the way, who had told them of the new plans. Then Mrs. Sterling came out and set them all to work cleaning and preparing the barn, and Uncle Micah came striding in from the fields with David panting at his heels. Henry was summoned from some mysterious haunt at the back of the cowsheds and sent to fetch a big trestle table and benches from one of the lofts.

"Pity we can't give 'em a concert," Dickie said to Mary. "Like we used to do at home at Christmas."

"I might recite," Mary said modestly. "I'm pretty good. Or we might sing a carol, twin!"

But before they could decide what to do unselfishly for the entertainment of the others, Mrs. Sterling bustled up and sent them into the garden for some cabbages. When they got back, and just as Dickie was feeling hungry again, Peter rode into the farmyard with the news that Uncle Charles, Jerry, Jake and a friend would be coming about four o'clock.

"This friend of theirs is fun," she said as she slipped off Sally's back. "He's a real cowboy, Dickie. At least Jerry said he was, and they all winked at me and the new one called me 'Sister.'... Hello, Tom. Hello, Jenny! Where's David?... Golly! Doesn't the barn look grand? Let's decorate it with evergreens."

Aunt Carol had found time to cut sandwiches for lunch. While they ate and worked Uncle Micah crossed the yard once or twice and Mary said she heard him whistling.

"That's nothing," Jenny announced. "He waved to me once."

The others looked at her in astonishment.

"Are you sure he wasn't chasing away some old fly or something?" Dickie asked.

Jenny shook her head.

"No. He waved to me... all friendly... I think he's nice, and I'm going to tell everybody in Barton 'bout him. I don't think he's a wizard any more. The spell's been lifted."