d better." She fumbled her
way unsteadily toward her bedroom door.

"You go help her; it's dark as a pocket," said Mrs. Babcock
imperatively to Lois; and the girl followed her mother.

"They act dreadful queer, seems to me," whispered Mrs. Babcock, when
the bedroom door was closed.

"I guess it's jest because they're so surprised to see us," Mrs.
Green whispered back.

"Well, if I ain't wanted, I can go back to where I come from, if I do
have to throw the money away," Mrs. Babcock said, almost aloud. "I
think they act queer, both on 'em. I should think they might seem a
little mite more pleased to see three old neighbors so."

"Mebbe it's the thunder-shower that's kind of dazed 'em," said
Amanda. She herself was much afraid of a thunder-shower. She had her
feet well drawn up, and her hand over her eyes.

"It's a mercy Mis' Field wa'n't killed out in it," said Mrs. Green.

"I don't see what in creation she stayed out so in it for," rejoined
Mrs. Babcock. "She must have seen the cloud comin' up. This is a
pretty big house, ain't it? An' I should think it was furnished nice,
near's I can see, but it's terrible old-fashioned."

Amanda huddled up in her chair, looked warily at the strange shadows
in this unfamiliar room, and wished she were at home.

The storm increased rather than diminished. When Mrs. Field and Lois
returned, all the women, at Mrs. Babcock's order, drew their chairs
close together in the middle of the room.

"I've always heard that was the safest place," said she. "That was
the way old Dr. Barnes always used to do. He had thirteen children;
nine of 'em was girls. Whenever he saw a thunder-shower comin' up, he
used to make Mis' Barnes an' the children go into the parlor, an'
then they'd all set in the middle of the floor, an' he'd offer
prayer. He used to say he'd do his part an' get in the safest place
he knew of, an' then ask the Lord to help him. Mandy Pratt!"

"What say, Mis' Babcock?" returned Amanda, trembling.

"Have you got your hoop-skirt on?"

Amanda sprang up. "Yes, I have. I forgot it!"

"For the land sakes! I should think you'd thought of that, scared as
you pretend to be in a thunder-shower. Do go in the bedroom an' drop
it off this minute! Lois, you go with her."

While Amanda and Lois were gone there was a slight lull in the storm.

"I guess it's kind of lettin' up," said Mrs. Babcock. "This is a nice
house you've got here, ain't it, Mis' Field?"

"Yes, 'tis," replied J