And right in the midst of this trying scene another event occurred of a
different sort, but far more serious. It was little wonder that nobody
once thought of saying to Kyzie:--

"Well, Grandma Graymouse, you promised to tell us to-night how you like
your school."

The school was quite forgotten, and so was the injured kitten. It
happened in this way: As soon as the kitten had been placed in a basket
of cotton and seemed tolerably comfortable, Jimmy and "the little two"
went along the road as they often did to watch for the stage. "The
colonel" might be coming now at almost any time, to find the lost vein
of the gold mine, and they wanted to see him first of any one. Lucy had
her papa's watch fastened to the waist of her dress, and took great
pleasure in seeing the hands move. This was not the first time she had
been allowed to carry the watch, and she was very proud because papa had
just said, "See how I trust my little girl."

Jimmy had Uncle James's spy-glass.

"Nate thinks the colonel won't come till to-morrow; but I expect him
to-night. Let's go farther up," said Jimmy-boy.

They all climbed a little way and stood on a rock gazing down toward the
dusty road. They could see the roofs of several houses, and Lucy asked
why there was so much wire on them.

"Oh, that's to hold the chimneys on," was Jimmy's reply.

"How queer!"