The story of Moses was followed by other child stories from the scriptures, each seemingly of greater interest than the one preceding. Time passed unnoticed. Just at the beginning of what promised to be a beautiful story of a kindly shepherd, sitting with many little children grouped about him, the soft, summer stillness was shattered by cries from Ambrose. Stephen and Mollie sprang up in dismay and hastily restored the picture books to their hiding place. A glance from the window revealed Ambrose tugging at his mother's limp, calico dress, imploring her to get him some bread and molasses. Maria, coming slowly back from dreamland, was preparing to arise. "Perhaps we stayed here too long," said Stephen, anxiously. "If she finds out we're not down in the garden she'll tell him." Neither of the children referred to Maria and Peter as Mr. and Mrs. Grimes. They were merely "he" and "she." Mollie frequently designated Peter as "that ogre", and Stephen in moments of great bitterness took satisfaction in letting the name of "Pete" pass between his teeth with a viciousness indicative of his inward desire to bite the despicable appellation in fragments. They cautiously descended the ladder into the stable below and peeked through the doorway until they saw Maria and Ambrose safely within the house. Then, darting from cover to cover like little rabbits, they fled to the garden patch and resumed their labors. A loud halloo that was almost a yodel halted the work almost before it was commenced. Maria, thinking they had been steadily engaged upon it ever since Peter's departure, was summoning them to partake of the bread she was dispensing to Ambrose. Had they but known it, this supposed generosity was not so much due to Maria's thoughtfulness of them, as to her own laziness. She wanted Stephen to fetch a bucket of water and Mollie to "red up" the house. It was while engaged upon these tasks they witnessed Peter's return. Not wishing to descend from the ramshackle conveyance in which he was seated, he shouted loudly from without the gate for Maria to come and open it that he might drive in. Stephen was amazed to see with what alacrity Maria could move when she so desired. Mollie, dish-towel in hand, watched proceedings from the doorway. Maria swung open the gate. Peter raised the whip in his hand. Walter the horse, eager for oats and, like all other living creatures on the place, not willing to incur his master's displeasure, gave a sudden start forward. Maria sprang to one side. One wheel of the vehicle careened against the side of the gate. The buggy tilted. Something bounced out and fell to the ground. With a piercing scream a barefoot girl in rough attire leaped from the moving buggy, fell, rose and dashed madly back toward the gate.