e stood upon the height of a slight elevation from
which could be had a view of the country round about on either hand;
and although so near to the great city, there were no settlements,
villages, or towns to be seen.

Surely, the lad said to himself, he had at last arrived at "the
country," and if all houses were as hospitable-looking, as cleanly,
and as inviting in appearance as was this one, then Pip Smith's story
had in it considerably more than a grain of truth.

"It must be mighty nice to have money enough to live in a place like
this," Seth said to himself. "It would please Snip way down to the
ground; but I mustn't think of it, 'cause there's no chance for a
feller like me to earn a livin' here, an' we can't always count on
folks givin' us what we need to eat."

Then Aunt Hannah came out from the barn, carrying in one hand a
glistening tin pail filled with foaming milk, and in the other the
three-legged stool.

Seth ran toward her and held out his hand as if believing she would
readily yield at least a portion of her burden; but she shook her head
smiling.

"Bless your heart, my child, I ought to be able to carry one pail of
milk, seeing that I've done as much or more every day since I was
Gladys's age."

"But that's no reason why I shouldn't help along a little to make up
for your not bein' mad 'cause Snip an' me slept in the barn. Besides,
I'd like to say to the fellers that I'd carried as much milk as a
whole pail full once in my life--that is, if I ever see 'em again," he
added with a sigh.

"Then you came from the city?"

"Yes, an' I never got so far out in the country before. Say, it's
mighty fine, ain't it?" And as Aunt Hannah relinquished her hold on
the pail, Seth started toward the house without waiting for a reply to
his question.

After placing the stool bottom up by the side of the broad stone which
served as doorstep, the little woman called to Gladys:

"It's time White-Face was taken to pasture, child."

"Do you mean the cow?" Seth asked.

"Yes, dear."

"Why can't I take her to the pasture; that is, if you'll tell me where
to find it?"

"Unfasten her chain, and she will show you the way. It's only across
the road over yonder."

Seth ran quickly to the barn, and having arrived at the doorway
through which Aunt Hannah disappeared when she went about the task of
milking, he halted in surprise and fear, looking at what seemed to him
an enormous beast with long, threatening horns,