ly.

"Dat's right; dat's right, honey, chile," he declared, and again
betook himself to the waiting team and reaper. Freed from the danger
of being compelled to wear boots, Guard had gone outside and placed
himself by the doorstep, where he was, to all appearances, peacefully
dozing when Joe started. But, before the team had turned the shoulder
of the nearest hill, he arose, stretched himself lazily, and trotted
slowly down the road after them.

Soon after Joe's departure, Ralph and I, baskets in hand, started for
the blackberry patch. Ralph's basket was a little toy candy pail,
which he assured Jessie he should bring to her "filled way up on 'e
top wiv burries." The blackberry vines grew along the upper edge of
the wheat field. We stopped when fairly above the field to admire the
square of yellow grain spread out below us, the bended heads of wheat
nodding and swaying in the light breeze, and the tall stalks now and
then rippling in soft, undulating waves, as if a gentle wind had moved
over a sea of gold. Next to the wheat stood the corn in file after
file, the leaves rustling and the tasseled heads held bravely aloft.
Green uniformed soldiers of peace and plenty they seemed to me,
bidding defiance to want and famine. I might better say that I stopped
to admire the grain fields, for Ralph had no aesthetic enthusiasm. His
one desire was to reach the "'ackburry" patch and begin stuffing them
into that little red mouth of his.

"Tum on, 'Essie," he said, tugging at my hand impatiently as I
lingered. "Me's so hungry."

"Yes; it must be half an hour at least since you had breakfast," I
replied unfeelingly, but turning my back on the fields nevertheless
and hastening on.

There were, as Joe had said, lots of blackberries, as we found on
reaching the spot. I helped Ralph to fill his little bucket and he
trudged along at my side, eating steadfastly, but sometimes suspending
even that fascinating employment to cling to my skirts and shrink
closer to me as we came upon a particularly luxuriant cluster of
vines. They were so tall and arched so high above his sunny little
head, and the prickly vines extended away and away in vistas that
must have seemed so endless to his small stature that it was no wonder
if he felt somewhat overawed at times.

We were well up on the hillside, and the fields below us were hidden
from our view, when he suddenly announced that it was time to go home.

"Oh, no, Ralph," I said, "see, sister