that she had this little companion.

A few minutes later the old woman was stretched out comfortably in
her bed, and the child was rolled up snugly on the hard sofa, and
silence once more fell on cottage and garden, broken only by an
occasional sleepy cluck, cluck of the hens, as they moved on their
perches, or a whimper from Dick, as in his dreams he lived over again
his rout of the enemy.

Huldah did not dream of thieves, or hens, or anything else.
She just slept, and slept, a heavy, dreamless sleep, unconscious of
everything. The hard sofa galled her poor, thin, aching body, the
round hard pillow gave her a crick in the neck, but neither of them
could make themselves felt through the sleep which held her fast in
merciful unconsciousness.

It was broad daylight, and the sun had been shining for a long time
when at last she woke with a start, and sprang up, wondering where
she was, and what had happened. Then by degrees recollection came
back to her, and she began to wonder what she could do. The old
clock in the corner pointed to seven, but there was no sound of
movement in the house. Huldah was afraid to get up and move about,
lest Mrs. Perry should suspect her of being at some wickedness; and
she was not sorry to lie still, for her limbs ached, and she felt
very, very tired, so she stretched herself out on her hard couch, and
gave herself up to studying the little kitchen, and all that was in
it.

It was very wonderful, she thought, and very lovely. There were some
dark green wooden chairs, and an arm-chair, and a little round table,