She looked for her answer with an eye that thought _he_ might possibly find an objection where she saw none. He paused a little before he replied, "I think you may--if I could be among them and answer for their good behaviour I should not need to think about it; but you know a man loses power when he is too far above the heads of his audience. Yet I think I may trust them--and you," he added with a little smile. "Especially as the first tree touched this afternoon is yours." "What does that mean?" said Faith, her doubt all gone. "Do you think I shall so far forget my office as to let them pick up nuts for nobody but themselves? Therefore the first tree this afternoon is for you--or if you please for your mother; the second for Mr. Simlins. If that will take away your desire for the 'fun,' why I cannot help it." "I have no objection to pick up nuts for mother, not even for Mr. Simlins," said Faith smiling. "And I am not afraid of the boys--I know half of them, you know. Thank you, Mr. Linden!" "You might, if I could take you up into the tree-top. There is fine reading on those upper shelves." Her eye shewed instantly that she liked that 'higher' fun best--not the tree-top, verily, but the reading, that she could not get at. Yet for Faith there were charms plenty below the tree-tops, in both kinds; and she looked very happy. "Well"--Mr. Linden said, "as the successful meeting of one emergency always helps us in the next, and as it is quite impossible to tell _what_ you may meet under those nut trees,--let me give you a little abstract of Catherine Douglass, before you read it and before I go. The said lady wishing to keep the door against sundry lords and gentle men who came with murderous intent against her sovereign; and finding no bar to aid her loyal endeavours,--did boldly thrust her own arm through the stanchions of the door. To be sure--'the brave lady's arm was soon broken,'--but after all, what did that signify?" And with a laughing gesture of farewell, he once more left the house. With which cessation of murmuring voices, Mrs. Derrick awoke from her after dinner nap in the rocking chair. Faith was standing in the middle of the floor, smiling and looking in a puzzle. "Mother, will you go over to the nutting again?" "I'm a great deal more likely to go to sleep again," said Mrs. Derrick rubbing her eyes. "It's the sleepiest place I ever saw in my life--or else it's having nothing to do. I don't doubt you're half asleep too, Faith, only you won't own it." The decision was, that Mrs. Derrick preferred to sit quiet in the house; she said she would maybe run down by and by and see what they were at. So Faith took her sunbonnet, kissed her mother; and went forth with light step over the meadow and through the orchard.