and, and told her to
feed a large red cow with particularly sharp horns. The children had a
habit of each adopting a cow and feeding it themselves when there were
any cabbages or pea-stalks to spare. Every cow, of course, had a name.

"That red one is quite new. She only came on Saturday," observed John.
"So we haven't yet settled who she is to belong to, and that is why you
can feed her. But we are going to call her Spiteful, because she
shakes her head so crossly and has such very sharp horns."

This was rather a formidable introduction to a cow, and it is not to be
wondered at that Ann soon incurred the scorn of the other children by
dropping her cabbage on the ground and retiring behind the railings.
She afterwards accused Spiteful of having tried to bite her.

"Well, if you don't care for feeding the animals perhaps you would like
to play in the hay-loft?" said Madge with calm patience.

"Oh, yes! That is just what I should like!" cried Ann eagerly. A loft
seemed to present fewer possibilities of danger than any of the other
places of amusement to which they had yet taken her.

There was a little difficulty about climbing a ladder out of the yard.
Ann was awkward, and the red cashmere dress being rather long she
continually tripped over it. But when they had once safely reached the
loft they had a grand game of play among the great heaps of hay and
straw, scattering them untidily all over the neatly-swept floor in a
way that was certain to drive Barton almost wild whenever he discovered
it.

The distant ringing of a large bell at last broke in upon the
children's shouts.

"That is to call us," explained Madge. "They always ring it when we
are out in the fields and forget tea. But it can't be tea now because
we have had it. I expect Mrs. Winter wants to go home."

"Oh, whatever will Grandmama say when she sees my dress!" wailed Ann as
they emerged from the gloom of the loft into full daylight. "It was
new to go to London," she continued sadly; "and Mother said it would do
to wear on Sundays all through the year."

The red cashmere had indeed suffered sadly. It bore greasy traces of
having been in contact with the pig-sty door all down its front, and
was also torn in more than one place. Mrs. Winter was very much
distressed by her grandchild's appearance when they returned to the
house, and scolded her somewhat severely for having behaved in a rough
and unmannerly fashion when out on a visit.