It was spotlessly clean, and sweet with the smell of the straw
which was scattered about one end of it. There were some bundles and
some loose straw lying on the ground. Huldah sank down on one of the
bundles with a little cry of relief, while Dick burrowed delightedly
in the loose straw.
"You won't be afraid, you think?"
"No, ma'am, thank you, not with Dick," she answered, bravely.
She did not feel quite so brave, though, when the light had gone, and
she heard the house-door bolted, and found herself and Dick shut in
alone in the dark in that great empty strange place. She did wish
that Mrs. Perry had seen fit to leave them the lantern. Rats loved
straw, Huldah knew, so did mice, and she was dreadfully afraid of
both. The moonlight shone in through the sides of the barn, and
Huldah had a feeling that eyes were at all the chinks, watching her.
To try to forget the rats and mice and not to see the eyes, she
nestled down in the straw, with one bundle at her head and another at
her back, and hoped she would soon fall asleep and forget everything.
But though she was so tired, or, perhaps, because she was overtired,
sleep when it did come was not sound or pleasant. Every time Dick
rustled the straw, she awoke. Every time a bird called or an owl
hooted, she started up wide awake.
Pages:
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34