"We-uns has getter do sumpin', now!" she exclaimed, turning for encouragement toward the eldest of the children. "I cain't hol' back thet ole ogre only fer ter-night. Gi'n termorrer he'll kotch us, shore. An' I cain't see no way ter git out 'cept over thet bog; an' I ben a-figurin' all day erbout hit. Ther hain't no use'n our a-settin' hyar a-waitin' fer God ter come an' do somethin'. We-uns has gotter do hit our own selfs. He's a-goin' ter watch over us, same es He does th' sparrows an' take keer on us an' see thet nawthin' hurts us, but hits we-uns an' not Him thet's got ter git th' soon start. I hain't afeerd now, o' nawthin'. I tol' you-all down thar in th' co'n field 'bout th' Good Shepherd who come las' night whilst you-all war a-sleepin'. Well, I l'arned a lot, jist a-lookin' at Him. "An' ter-day I ben a-watchin' th' sparrows. I ben a-watchin' them ever sence I war es leetle es Leathie an' a-thinkin' thet when I war big 'nough I'd fin' out whar they go when they fly straight-a-way over th' bog. I hain't never seed ary one fall. He holts 'em up. An' ef He'll holt sparrows up He'll holt little chil'en up. All we hafter do es hang on ter trees an' things like th' birds. Willie has l'arnt yo'-all how ter do thet. Now ef we-all hold together, an' take thet thar rope we used ter-day, an' fling hit acrost frum one tree ter 'nother, so thet we kin keap aholt on hit, I feel thet we'll git just whar them sparrows git an' whar thet air, ole Grimes cain't never come." The children listened, breathless with anticipation. The theory was excellent. The tree stunts appealed to them. The fear of Grimes spurred them in their eagerness to put the plan into operation. "S'pose'n he gits arter us," suggested one of the boys. "We mustn't gi'n him a chanst," returned Mollie. "We must git Ole Walter outter th' gate an' git his key ter th' gate an' fling hit inter th' bog. I'll do thet. I'll do hit whilst he's a-sleepin'. I know whar hit is. Hit's with his pants. His pants hang 'side his bed. I see 'em mornings when I go ter help Maria an' he ain't up yit. I'll git th' key." There were many other things to be thought of. Mollie would have to carry Doris on her back. The baby must be tied on very, very securely. Then there was Johnnie. It would be hard for him, with his mis-shapen foot and his crutch, but Johnnie was not sickly. He was as strong and sturdy as any and he could climb trees almost as well as Willie. His crutch could be used if any of them slipped and someone had to extend a helping hand. They could extend the crutch instead of the hand. It would be longer and stronger. The alert, childish minds were working swiftly and in perfect harmony. What one did not think of the others did.