t off in the rain with Mrs. Warner and
Tom for a ride to the butter factory with the cream from the night
before and that of the morning.

Mrs. Warner had guessed shrewdly enough that Nealie had so much
responsibility in an ordinary way as to make the little trip to the
factory quite a holiday jaunt.

Wrapped in a big mackintosh belonging to Amy, Nealie sat on the front
seat of the wagon, between Tom and his mother, and very much enjoying
the novelty of seeing someone else in charge of the horse and wagon.

The factory was a series of surprises, and she came away with her head
in a whirl between cream testers, butter machinery, freezing chambers,
and the final processes of packing for market. It seemed to her that the
world was such a wonderful place, and the things done in it were so much
more wonderful still, that she must belong to the very bottom class of
ignoramuses, because she did not know how to do anything save mother her
sisters and brothers, and she did not realize that this might be the
grandest and cleverest work of all.

All day it rained without a single stop, and far into the second night
as well. But the morning broke without a cloud, the sun shone out bright
and glorious, and all nature rejoiced because of the rain.

A start was made directly after breakfast, all the family of Warners
crowding to the cowyard gate, to see the travellers start.

Putting Rupert and Ducky up in the wagon to ride, the other five walked
the two miles and more to the Four-Mile Corner, because the Holderness
Valley track was so soft from the rain. Even with this lightening of the
load it was an anxious progress in places, and when they got stuck in a
hollow they had to put their shoulders to the wheel and assist strength
of collar by strength of arm.

But Rockefeller had been well fed at the farm, and he had had a good
rest also, and, being in prime condition, made short work of the heavy
track, landing them safe and sound on the main road.

Rumple's misadventure had let them in for quite a long delay, but it had
also secured them a shelter when they most needed it, and so, as Nealie
said, the balance was about even.

That day's journey was without incident, and so was the next. Then came
Sunday, when they did not travel at all, but remained in camp all day,
giving themselves and the horse a rest, and singing hymns as they sat
under the trees in the shade. So far there had mostly been trees dotted
here and there by t