er than to come
within reach of Tom, but they hardly paused in their busy nest-building
as Susie passed by; only singing a little more gayly than before, which
was their way of welcoming her, so Susie said.

Grandfather's cottage was built on the top of a steep field. At the
bottom a bubbling, noisy little brook went tumbling and bustling merrily
over the stones, filling the sweet, warm air with a cheery song of its
own. A plank served as a bridge across the stream; and as Susie walked
steadily over it she noticed a fat, motherly old duck nestling down
amongst the ferns and dock-leaves on the bank. Mother Duck uttered a
startled and indignant "Quack, quack," as Gypsy jumped over her head and
dashed headlong into the cool, bright water.

"Ah, Mrs. Duck," cried Susie merrily, "I see now where your eggs go! I
shall pay you a visit presently; I can't stop now, because I am going
a-milking."

The old duck looked after her with quite an air of understanding all
about it, and gravely watched her run on towards the field where Daisy
the cow stood waiting at the gate. Tom had forgotten all about
milking-time, but Mistress Daisy had good reasons of her own for liking
punctuality in such matters. So she poked her long white nose through
the bars of the gate, and greeted Susie with a long, doleful complaint
of the sad way in which she had been neglected that morning.

Perhaps it was Daisy's reproachful "Moo" which first made the little
maid conscious that she had forgotten the milking-stool, but she now
decided to do without it. The good old cow's temper must not be tried by
any further delay, so down she knelt in the cool, dewy grass, and,
carefully fixing the pail, began her task.

She found it not so easy as she expected, for milking requires practice,
and some strength of fingers, and Susie had little of either. But Daisy
was very good, and so the sweet, frothy milk rose higher and higher in
the little pail, until at length the task was done. Daisy showed she
thought so by suddenly beginning to walk away. The pail had a narrow
escape then, but Susie got it safely out of the way, and began her
homeward walk. Very steadily she carried the pail to the brook. There a
surprise awaited her; while she had been milking some one had pulled
away the plank, and thrown it down on the opposite bank. Wet feet are no
hardship to little girls who wear no shoes and stockings. Susie soon
tucked up her dress, and walked carefully through the