It was early, early in the morning when Lucie was aroused by a sudden squawk, a wild flutter of wings. She sat up and rubbed her eyes to behold a much ruffled hen disappearing out of the doorway and cackling her best. Dazed with sleep Lucie thought at first she must be dreaming, but the cackling fully aroused her. She looked around, bewildered. “Where in the world am I?” she exclaimed. Then the events of the day before came back to her. She stood up, shaking the straw from her dress. “Of all things!” she exclaimed, “I have spent the entire night in this dirty place, and have slept like a Christian. Who could believe it? Thank heaven there is no door, so one could at least have fresh air. Where is Paulette, and where indeed is Pom Pom?” She went out into the field to look around. Dew lay on the grass. The poppy buds were unfolding. A lark sang soaring overhead. The hen, having concluded her triumphant remarks, was on the search for breakfast and was picking around quite as if all her friends and neighbors had not been carried off. “It is most strange what has become of that Paulette,” murmured Lucie, looking more and more troubled. “Since she has not returned to me it is plain that I must go in search of her. As for Pom Pom, he will not have strayed far. I have no doubt but he will come back to me. Now that it is daylight and I am rested it should not be difficult to get to the station if I had but something to eat before I go. What a thing to have done to sleep all night when I meant to keep watch. Well, as one may say: _Avise la fin_: consider the end. I am refreshed, though I would be more so if I had had a mouthful of supper and could look forward to a bite of breakfast. I should probably be exhausted but for the sleep. As for Pom Pom, no doubt he has gone off to forage for himself. What a thing to have the nose of a dog so that one can pry into corners and so discover food. If they had left the cow behind there would be the milk, though if the cow had remained she might have objected to sharing her bed with me. I am very sure I should be one to feel the same objection. However, we dispose of that since there is no cow. Neither is there anything to eat that I can discover. One cannot feed on poppies nor on grass. I wish Pom Pom would come. I should not then feel so deserted and I must try to walk to that village. I may faint before I get there; I feel so empty, but I must make the effort. Anything is better than staying here to starve. What would my parents say if they knew I am without a breakfast altogether?” She sat down forlornly in the doorway, continuing her soliloquy. “If one but had a piece of chocolate to nibble. If I had but saved that which I had in my bag when I started, but, improvident that I am! it was all gone before night. Well, there is nothing to do but make myself take to the road, although of a truth I must confess I do not like to undertake a journey on an empty stomach.”