"That rooster was crowin' on the fence last time I seen him, and he's up there ag'in now," said little Jimmy Rumford, with the most offensive skepticism. "What if he is?" asked his sister sharply. "That means fair weather, and don't interfere with the sign of company coming; it makes it all the more certain." "I bet he ain't crowin' about Pitt Packard," retorted Jimmy, with a large joy illuminating his sunburnt face. "Pitt ain't comin' home from Moderation this week; he's gone to work on the covered bridge up there." Huldah's face fell. "I'd ought to have known better than to turn my white skirt yesterday," she sighed. "I never knew it to fail bringing bad luck. I vow I'll never do it again." "That's one o' the signs I haven't got so much confidence in," said Mrs. Rumford, skimming the cream from a pan of milk into the churn and putting the skimmed milk on the table. "It don't come true with me more 'n three times out o' five, but there's others that never fails. You jest hold on, Huldy; the dish-cloth and the rooster knows as much 'bout what's goin' to happen as your white petticoat does." "Jest about as much," interpolated Jimmy, with his utterance somewhat choked by hot doughnut. Huldah sat down at the table and made a pretense of eating something, but her heart was heavy within her. "What are you churning for on Friday, mother?" she asked. "Why, I told you I am looking for strangers. It ain't Pitt Packard only that I expect. Yesterday mornin' I swept a black mark on the floor; in the afternoon I found two o' the settin'-room chairs standin' back to back, and my right hand kep' itchin' all day, so't I knew I was goin' to shake hands with somebody." "You told me 't was the left hand," said Jimmy. "I never told you no such thing, Jimmy Rumford. Eat your breakfast, and don't contradict your mother, or I'll send you to bed quick 's you finish eatin'. Don't you tell me what I said nor what I didn't say, for I won't have it. Do you hear me?" "You did!" responded Jimmy obstinately, preparing to dodge under the table in case of sudden necessity. "You said your left hand itched, and it meant money comin', and you hoped Rube Hobson was goin' to pay you for the turkey he bought a year ago last Thanksgivin'-time, so there!" "So I did," said the widow reflectively. "Come to think of it, so I did; it must 'a' been a Wednesday my right hand kep' itchin' so." "And comp'ny didn't come a Wednesday neither," persevered Jimmy. "Jimmy Rumford, if you don't behave yourself and speak when you're spoken to, and not before, you'll git a trouncin' that you'll remember consid'able of a spell afterwards." "I'm ready for it!" replied the youngster, darting into the shed and peeping back into the kitchen with a malignant smile. "I dreamt o' Baldwin apples last night. 'Dream fruit out o' season, That's anger without reason.'