"Oh, then I can learn it," said Timothy, brightening; "I learned three
for Miss Dora, in the city."

"Well, I'm thankful to hear that you've had some spiritual advantages;
now, stay right here in the orchard till Jabe comes; and don't set the
house afire," she added, as Samantha took the reins and raised them for
the mighty slap on Maria's back which was necessary to wake her from her
Sunday slumber.

"Why would I want to set the house afire?" Timothy asked wonderingly.

"Well, I don't know 's you would want to, but I thought you might get
to playin' with matches, though I've hid 'em all."

"Play with matches!" exclaimed Timothy, in wide-eyed astonishment that a
match could appeal to anybody as a desirable plaything. "Oh, no, thank
you; I shouldn't have thought of it."

"I don't know as we ought to have left 'em alone," said Vilda, looking
back, as Samantha urged the moderate Maria over the road; "though I
don't know exactly what they could do."

"Except run away," said Samantha reflectively.

"I wish to the land they would! It would be the easiest way out of a
troublesome matter. Every day that goes by will make it harder for us to
decide what to do with 'em; for you can't do by those you know the same
as if they were strangers."

There was a long main street running through the village north and