lence, and then said,

"I do see something there under the bushes."

"And isn't it moving?" said Caleb.

"Why, yes," said she.

"And isn't it black?"

"Yes," said she.

"Then it is a bear," said Caleb, half-delighted, and half afraid, "Isn't
it, grandmother? I'll go and get the gun."

There was an old gun behind the high desk, in the back sitting-room; but
it had not been loaded for twenty years, and had no back upon it. Still
Caleb always supposed that some how or other it would shoot.

"Shall I, grandmother?" said he eagerly,

"No," said she. "I don't think it is a bear."

"What then?" said Caleb.

"I think it is Cherry."

"Cherry!" said Caleb.

"Yes, Cherry," said she. "Run and see if you can find the boys."

Cherry was the cow. She had strayed from the pasture the day before, and
they could not find her. She was called Cherry from her colour; for
although she had looked almost black, as Caleb had seen her in the
bushes, she was really a Cherry colour. Caleb saw at once, as soon as
his grandmother said that it was Cherry, that she was correct. In fact,
he could see her head and horns, as she was holding her head up to eat
the leaves from the bushes. However he did not stop to talk about it,
but, obeying his grandmother immediately, he ran off after the boys.

He went out to the back door, where the boys had been at play, and
shouted out, "_David_! DA--VID! DWI--GHT! DA--VID!" But there was no
reply, except a distant echo of "_David_" and "_Dwight_" from the rocks
and mountains.

So Caleb came back, and said that he could not find the boys, and that
he supposed that they had gone to school.

"Then we must call Raymond," said she.

"And may I ring for him, grandmother?" said Caleb.

Grandmother said he might: and so Caleb ran off to the porch at the back
door, and took down quite a large bell, which was hanging there. Caleb
stood upon the steps of the porch, and grasping the great handle of the
bell with both hands, he rang it with all his might. In a minute or two
he stopped; and then he heard a faint and distant "Aye-aye" coming, from
a field. Caleb put the bell back into its place, and then went again to
his grandmother.

In a few minutes Raymond came in. He was a thick-set and rather tall
young man, broad-shouldered and strong,--slow in his motions, and of a
very sober countenance. Caleb heard his heavy step in the entry, though
he came slowly and carefully, as if he tried to walk without