Mary Jane over the fence and then came in the gate and locked it
carefully behind him.

"Are you 'fraid it'll get away, is that why you lock the gate?" asked
Mary Jane.

"Well, it's pretty little to run away," said Grandfather, "but you
never can tell, so I lock it to be sure." He took hold of Mary Jane's
hand again as he added, "now just behind these trees; and around these
bushes; and--"

"I see it myself," exclaimed Mary Jane, "and I know what it is--it's a
little sheep!" She dropped his hand and ran a few steps toward the
lamb she saw grazing a few steps away. But just as she drew near, the
lamb spied her and started to meet her. Mary Jane ran quickly back
toward her grandfather; it was one thing to go to meet the lamb herself
and quite another to have the lamb come and meet her! "Will he grunt?"
she asked.

"Not a single grunt!" laughed Grandfather. "He's the friendliest
little creature you ever saw. See?" Grandfather took Mary Jane's hand
and laid it on the soft wool of the lamb's back. "He likes you already
and he'll like you even better when you bring him something good to
eat. Before very long you will learn to climb this fence all by
yourself; then you can come over here and play with him any time you
want to."

"And pick flowers for my grandmother, too?" asked Mary Jane as she
looked at the lovely bluebells that grew around where they were
standing.