a momentary feeling of
astonishment, wondering how she came there, and then put down her head
again and resumed her feeding.

"Now," said Mary Bell, "I shall certainly get home again, for I shall
stay with you until Thomas comes up after the cows. He will find you
by your bell. And now I am going to put these oranges down upon the
grass, and milk some milk into this pail."

So Mary Bell put the oranges in a safe place upon the grass, and then
went cautiously up to the side of the cow, and attempted to milk
her. But it is very difficult to milk a cow while she is grazing in
a pasture. She is not inclined to stand still, but advances all the
time, slowly, step by step, making it very difficult to do any thing
at milking. Mary Bell, however, succeeded very well. She was so
thirsty that she did not wait to get a great deal at a time, but as
soon as she had two or three spoonfuls in the pail, she stopped to
drink it. In this manner, by dint of a great deal of labor and pains,
she succeeded, in about a quarter of an hour, in getting as much as
she wanted.

[Illustration: MARY BELL AND QUEEN BESS.]

She remained in company with the cows all the afternoon. Sometimes she
would wander from them a little way to gather raspberries, and then
she would creep up cautiously to Queen Bess, and get another drink of
milk. When she had thus had as many raspberries, and as much milk, as
she wished, she amused herself for some time in gathering a bouquet
of wild flowers to give to Mary Erskine on her return. The time, being
thus filled up with useful occupation, passed pleasantly and rapidly
along, and at length, when the sun was nearly ready to go down, she
heard a distant voice shouting to the cows. It was Thomas, coming to
drive them home.

Thomas was of course greatly astonished to find Mary Bell in the
woods, and his astonishment was not at all diminished at hearing her
story. He offered to carry her, in going home,--but she said that
she was not tired, and could walk as well as not. So they went down
together, the cows running along before them in the paths. When they
reached the house, Thomas went to turn the cows into the yard, while
Mary Bell went into the house to Mary Erskine, with her little pail in
one hand, and her bouquet of flowers in the other.

CHAPTER VII.

HOUSE-KEEPING.

One of the greatest pleasures which Mary Bell enjoyed, in her visits
at Mary Erskine's at this period, was to assist in the house-kee