orchises; and at any time some bright blossoms were generally to be
found gleaming through the shade.

Bessie, however, did not linger now to look for them, but picking her
way across the stepping-stones which lay in the bed of the stream, she
quickly climbed the opposite bank by a natural pathway which wound up
among the rocks--easily found by her accustomed feet--and passing
through the piece of woodland that lay on the other side, came out on
the sunny expanse of meadows and corn-fields, in the midst of which
stood the neat white farmhouse, with its little array of farm
buildings, and the fine old butternut tree, under the shade of which
Mrs. Ford sat milking her sleek, gentle cows, little Jenny and Jack
sitting on the ground beside her. The instant that they espied their
sister coming through the fields, they dashed off at the top of their
speed to see who should reach her first, and were soon trotting along
by her side, confiding to her their afternoon's adventures, and how
Jack had found nine eggs in an unsuspected nest in the barn, but had
broken three in carrying them in.

"But me wouldn't have," insisted Jack sturdily, "if Jenny hadn't
knocked up against me."

"Oh, Jack! Now you know I only touched you the least little bit,"
retorted the aggrieved Jenny.

"Well, don't jump up and down so, or I will let go your hand," said
Bessie. "You almost pull my arm off! I wish you could see how quietly
little Mary Thomson sits in Sunday school, and she is no bigger than
you."