“So’m I,” declared Margy. Their mother let them go barefoot after scolding them a little for getting their shoes and stockings wet. She said they should have been more polite and not have tried one to get ahead of the other in crossing the plank. “Well, I guess you’ll have to expect such things as wet feet and muddy clothes if the children play about the farm,” said Farmer Joel’s sister, who was getting ready to go off on her vacation. “Oh, I don’t mind as long as the children aren’t hurt,” said their mother, with a laugh. “They’ll get used to the place after a while and know how to have fun without getting into too much trouble. Don’t go far away now,” she added. “Supper will soon be ready.” “I’ll stay and help set the table,” offered Rose. And as Miss Todd would be busy with her own affairs and as Norah had the cooking to look after, Mrs. Bunker was glad of Rose’s help. Russ and Laddie went back to where they had been building the water wheel when Rose was frightened by the dog, and Violet, Mun Bun and Margy said they would go with Adam North, who started out to the barn to gather the eggs. “Where do the hens lay their eggs?” asked Violet, starting some of her usual questions. “Oh, in different places,” answered the hired man. “Sometimes away under the barn, and I have to crawl under the beams to get them out.” “We could do that for you,” offered Violet. “We’re small and we could easy fit under the barn.” “Yes, I do have trouble there,” replied Adam. “Once I got stuck under the barn floor.” “Did you have to stay there a long time?” Violet asked. “I did until they could take up some boards in the floor and let me crawl out that way,” laughed Adam. Violet watched him go about in different places in the barn to gather the eggs. She saw Margy and Mun Bun climbing about in the haymow, and then she forgot about her little brother and sister for a few moments, as Adam found a nest with more than a dozen eggs in it and called Violet to look at them. When she returned to the middle of the barn she could not see either Mun Bun or Margy. “Where are you?” she called. Back came the answer, but in queer, muffled voices. “We’re in the hay,” roared Mun Bun. “And we can’t get out and it’s dark!” wailed Margy. “What has happened to them?” Violet asked Adam North. CHAPTER IX WHEN THE COWS CAME HOME The hired man carefully set down the basket of eggs he had gathered from different places in the barn. Then he looked up toward the haymow. This mow was where the hay was piled in the barn to be kept dry so it could be fed to the horses. “Were Margy and Mun Bun up there?” asked Adam of Violet. “Yes, they went up there to slide down. Hay’s slippery, you know,” answered Violet. “Course it isn’t as slippery as snow or ice, but you can slide down hill on a pile of hay.” “I know,” chuckled Adam. “I often used to do it when I was a boy on the farm. But I don’t see the children now.” “You can hear them—listen!” advised Violet.