Now, to Joy, of course, none of this was very interesting, for she had
not been into the schoolroom yet, and didn't know George Castles and
Agnes Gaylord from Adam; and somehow or other it never occurred to Gypsy
to introduce some subject in which they could all take part; and so
somehow it came about that Joy fell behind with Winnie, and the three
girls went on together all the way to Mr. Jones's grove.

"Isn't it splendid?" called Gypsy, turning around. "I'm having a real
nice time."

"Ye—es," said Joy, dolefully; "I guess I shall like it better when we
get to the chestnuts."

Nothing particular happened on the way, except that when they were
crossing Mr. Jonathan's plowed field, Winnie stuck in the mud tight, and
when he was pulled out he left his shoes behind him; that he repeated
this pleasing little incident six consecutive times within five minutes,
varying it by lifting up his voice to weep, in Winnie's own accomplished
style; and that Joy ended by carrying him in her arms the whole way.

Be it here recorded that Joy's ideal of "cherubic childhood," Winnie
standing as representative cherub, underwent then and there several
modifications.

"Here we are!" cried Gypsy at last, clearing a low fence with a bound.
"Just see the leaves and the sky. Isn't it just—oh!"

It was, indeed "just," and there it stopped; there didn't seem to be any
more words to say about it. The chestnut-trees were clustered on a