mer?"

Grandma laughed, and told him that indeed it did rain in the summer.

"We haven't had a drop of rain since you've been here, and you must have
brought fair weather with you," she said. "Now that the hay is all in the
barn, we're glad to see it rain, for the garden needs it badly. Think how
thirsty the flowers and vegetables must be."

"Harriet said to play in the barn on rainy days," said Sunny Boy sadly,
"but I think I'm lonesome."

"Well, you go out to the barn and you won't be lonesome," Araminta, who
was clearing the breakfast table, laughed at his long face. "I'll bet all
the children are there, even the baby. He can go, can't he, Mrs.
Horton?"

Grandma said yes, of course he could, and Mother brought his rubbers and
raincoat downstairs when she came, for he met her on the stairs and there
she had them all ready.

"Run along and have a good time," she told him, kissing him. "I was going
to suggest that you play in the barn this morning. Help Jimmie if he's
working, won't you, and don't hinder him?"

Paddling out to the barn in the pouring rain was fun. But the barn was
the most fun of all. Grandpa and Jimmie were on the first floor mending
harness, and the doors were open so that they could see right out into
the orchard and yet not get a bit wet. Just as Araminta had said, all the
Hatch children were there, even the baby, who lay asleep on the hay in a
nice, quiet corner.

"Hurrah!" cried Juddy Hatch. "We're going to play robbers, and you can be
in my cave."

"Be in my cave," urged David, his brother. "Our side has the best
slide."

"I'll come up there and settle you youngsters if you're going to
quarrel," threatened Jimmie, switching a buggy whip and looking very
fierce. "You'd better start playing and stop arguing."

The children knew Jimmie had small patience with little bickerings,
though he had never been known to do anything more severe than scold. So
they took him at his word and began to play.

"You be on Juddy's side, then," agreed David. "See, we each have a cave
here in the hay--that's mine in this corner. The way we do is to all go
into our caves and take turns creeping up. When you hear us on the roof
of your cave, you have to get out and run over to ours, climb up to the
top and slide down the other side. If you're caught you have to b'long to
our robber tribe."

The hay was very smooth and slippery, and the children had many a tumble
as the two robber tribes chased each other