butter." Her mother had reproved her for it, but she
had done the same thing again and again. By and by, when her mother
positively forbade her to say "butter," she had said "bread and
molasses;" "for, mamma," said she, "you know I don't like _bare_ bread."

"I s'pose Miss Preston would say that was the awfulest wickedness of
all, and I guess it was. O, dear!"

Well, if she ever got home she would be a better girl. But it wasn't
likely she ever should get home.

"Why, Jennie," said she, speaking now for the first time, "here we are;
and when we stand still we don't move at all; we don't go home a bit,
Jennie."

"Of course not, Dotty Dimple; that's a very bright speech! I've thought
the same thought my own self before ever you did!"

Another silence, broken only by the pitter patter of the rain; for the
thunder was growing less and less frequent.

"But we must go home some time," cried Jennie with energy. "If it kills
us to death we must go home. Just you put your foot out, Dotty dear, and
see if it sinks way down, down. I thought it was beginning to grow a
little soft right here."

"O, dear, I don't dare to!" groaned Dotty, shaking with a nervous
chill; "you put your foot in your own self, Jennie Vance, and see where
it goes to. I don't want to slump down up to my hair any more'n you do.
What do you s'pose!"

"Fie! for shame, Dotty Dimple! I always thought you were a coward, and
now I know it! What if I should give you my ring, made of all carrot
gold, would you do it then? Just nothing but put your foot out?"

"_Would_ you give me the ring now, honest?" said Dotty, raising her
little foot cautiously; "certain true?"

"Why, you know, Dotty, if I said I would, I would."

[Illustration]

A sudden thought was darting across Dotty's mind, like another startled
swallow; only this one came alone, and did not take her breath away; for
it was a pleasant thought--Where were they? Whose field was this?

Why, it was Mr. Gordon's pasture. And Johnny came here for the cow every
night of his life. And, as true as the world, there was the Gordon cow
now, the red and white one, standing by the fence, lowing for Johnny.

"A great deal of bottomless pond this is, and so I should think!" said
Dotty to herself with a smile. "Where a cow can go I guess I can go with
my little feet. Soft? why, it isn't any softer than anybody's field is
after it rains."

So, without saying a word, the little girl put her foot out, and of
c