"Scrubs have to be picked carefully so's not to squash them."

He laughed outright, and Peace marched on with head high and cheeks
aflame with anger.

Before she had reached the road, however, he stopped her by saying,
"What do you want to pick berries for this hot weather?"

"For money. We want some shoes. Cameron's are selling canvas shoes for
forty-nine cents a pair all this week, and Mrs. Grinnell is going in
town Saturday, and we could drive with her--s'posing we could earn
enough for the shoes."

"Why don't your ma buy some?"

"Mother's sick and Gail hasn't any money."

"You've got a pretty little farm there--"

"We can't wear farms on our feet," snapped Peace, moving off once more,
but again he stopped them, for he was really in need of pickers in order
to harvest his big crop of berries before they spoiled on the vines.
"Well, now, I'll tell you, kids, I will try you at picking, and--"

"Pay us five cents a box?"

"Yes, if you are good at the job. Come tomorrow morning."

"We'll begin now. This is Thursday, and that sale lasts only till
Saturday. It might rain tomorrow, and 'sides, it _might_ take us more'n
a day."

"Well, suit yourselves," chuckled the man. "But be sure you do good work
and don't eat up the berries."

So the two small sisters were soon busily engaged in picking the
luscious red fruit and packing it in quart boxes, while the sun poured
mercilessly down upon them. But they pluckily stuck to their post until
the day was done, trying to forget the heat and dust in planning their
trip to the big city, which they had visited so seldom. However, two
long, thankful sighs escaped their dry lips when at length Gail's horn
tooted out the summons to the evening meal, and they hurried homeward as
fast as their aching backs and tired feet would carry them, exultant
though perspiring.

"Gracious!" murmured Cherry plaintively, as she bathed her hot face at
the pump, "I never knew before how many berries it took to make a
quart."

"It would take lots more if we were picking wild strawberries. They
ain't bigger'n peas, but these are whoppers."

"And covered thick with spiders--ugh! I feel them crawling all over me
now. I believe I killed a million just this afternoon."

Peace laughed. They didn't bother her. "Just s'posing those strawberries
were bugs really, and when the hotel people ate them the bugs would
bite. My, wouldn't you like to hear them holler?"

"Why, Peace Greenfield!" crie