he eager, wholesome appetite
of children. Mrs. Kull kept watch that the cow did not wander far
from the place.

As they were eating, Valentine said to Anna, nodding his head in the
direction of his mother: "I've thought of something. We must manage to
send _her_ home without us."

"_I've_ thought of something," responded Anna. "Yes, we _must_
manage."

"I should like to know _what_ you could think of, sister."

"Should you? Why, think of saving the cow and calf, of course; though,
if you're _very_ particular, you can leave the calf here."

"And what will you do with the cow?"

"Put her in the boat--"

"Whew!" interrupted Valentine.

"And ferry her over the sound," continued Anna.

"Who?"

"You and me."

"Do you think we could?"

"We can try."

"That's brave! How's your arm?"

"All right! I jerked it back, slapping mosquitoes."

"Give us another hunkey piece of bread and butter. Honey's good
to-day. I wonder mother thought about it."

"I s'pose," said Anna, "she'd as leave we had it as soldiers. Wouldn't
it be jolly if we could make 'em steal the bees?"

The wind blew east. Up came martial sounds mingled with the break and
the roar of the ocean.

"Oh, dear! They're a coming," gasped Mrs. Kull, running to the spot.
"They're coming, and your father is not here."

"Hide, hide, my children! Never mind the cow now," she almost
shrieked; her mind was running wild with all the scenes of terror she
had ever heard of.

"Pshaw! pshaw! Mother Kull," said her boy, assuringly. "They won't
come down here. Somebody's guiding them around who knows just where
every house is. You and Anna get into that thicket yonder and keep,
whatever happens, as still as mice."

"What'll _you_ do, bub?" questioned Anna, her sunburned face
brown-pale with affright.

"Oh, I'll take care of myself. Boys always do."

As soon as Mrs. Kull and her daughter were well concealed in the
thicket, the sounds began to die away. They waited half an hour. All
was still. They crept out, gazing the country over. No soldier in
sight. Down in the marsh again were boy and cow.

"I'll run home now," said Mrs. Kull. "I dare say 'twas all a trick of
my ears."

"But I heard it, too, Mother Kull."

"Your ears serve you tricks, too, Anna. You wait and help Valentine
home with the animals."

Anna was glad to have her mother gone. She sped to the marsh. She
threaded it, until by sundry signs she found the trio and summoned
them forth.

The