While the aunts were deciding upon Ladybird's future, old Matthew was wandering down the garden path toward the orchard. "She bates the Dutch, that child," he said to himself. "Now I'll wager me dinner that she's hidin' under a cabbage-leaf, or in some burrd's nest." But if so, Ladybird made no sign, and old Matthew tramped up and down the orchard, peering anxiously about while the shadows deepened. At last, as he stood beneath an old gnarled apple-tree, he heard what seemed to be a far-away crooning sort of song. "Bird, bird, Ladybird; They called and called, But she never stirred." "Arrah, miss! an' are ye up there? Come down, ye rascally baby. Yer aunts is afther huntin' high an' low for ye. Do ye hear?" "I hear and I hear, and I don't heed," came back the answering voice. "Ye must heed," said old Matthew, earnestly. "Yer aunts is clean daft. Come down, little lady, come down now." "Nixy," said Ladybird, saucily. "You know very well, Matthew, that if I come down my aunts will send me away, and I won't be sent away." "But ye can't stay up in the tree forever, miss." "Well, I can stay for the present. I don't think it's going to rain to-night, do you, Matthew?" "The saints presarve us, miss, how ye do talk! And are ye going to stay up there all night, now?" "Of course I am; I've got to sleep somewhere. And say, Matthew, I'm awful hungry." "Are ye that, miss? Well, thin, come down to yer supper." "Nay, nay," said Ladybird, laughing merrily; "but do you, O good Matthew, go to Bridget and beg for me a bit of supper." "Oh, miss, what dratted foolishness!" "Foolish nothing! I am a captive princess; you are my henchman. Do you hear, Matthew?--henchman." "What's that, miss?" "Oh, well, it only means that you must do just as I tell you, because you love me." "Yes, miss." "So go to Bridget and ask her to put up some supper in a basket, and bring it out here to me." "And thin will ye come down and get it, miss?" "Go at once, Matthew! Henchmen do as they're told without question." "Yes, miss"; and half dazed, the old man shuffled away, followed by a ringing peal of Ladybird's laughter. He soon shuffled back again, bringing a fair-sized basket well filled with good things. "Hello, henchman!" called Ladybird, "you're mighty spry. What did you tell my aunt?" "Nothing, miss," said Matthew; "sure, ye gave me no message." "Good Matthew," said Ladybird, approvingly. "It seems to me we shall be great friends, you and I. And now for my supper." "But I can't climb up with it to ye," said Matthew. "Small need," said Ladybird, who was already uncoiling a long bit of string. Tying a bunch of twigs to the end of it, she carefully let the string down through the branches of the old apple-tree. "Tie the basket on, Matthew," she called, and the old man, mumbling, "It's as much as me place is worth," tied the basket firmly to the string and started it on its ascending course.