se-door, and fastened
the big bolt. It was very heavy, and the kitchen looked gloomy when she
had done it.

"I wish Mother had taken us all three with her, and had locked the house
and put the key in her big pocket, as she has done before," said little
Joan, as she got into the rocking-chair, to put her doll to sleep.

"Yes, it would have done just as well," So-so replied as he stretched
himself on the hearth.

By-and-bye Joan grew tired of hushabying the doll, who looked none the
sleepier for it, and she took the three-legged stool and sat down in
front of the clock to watch the hands. After a while she drew a deep
sigh.

"There are sixty seconds in every single minute, So-so," said she.

"So I have heard," said So-so. He was snuffing in the back place, which
was not usually allowed.

"And sixty whole minutes in every hour, So-so."

"You don't say so!" growled So-so. He had not found a bit, and the cake
was on the top shelf. There was not so much as a spilt crumb, though he
snuffed in every corner of the kitchen, till he stood snuffing under the
house-door.

"The air smells fresh," he said.

"It's a beautiful day, I know," said little Joan. "I wish Mother had
allowed us to sit on the doorstep. We could have taken care of the
house--"

"Just as well," said So-so.

Little Joan came to smell the air at the keyhole, and, as So-so had
said, it smelt very fresh. Besides, one could see from the window how
fine the evening was.

"It's not exactly what Mother told us to do," said Joan, "but I do
believe--"

"It would do just as well," said So-so.

By-and-bye little Joan unfastened the bar, and opened the door, and she
and the doll and So-so went out and sat on the doorstep.

Not a stranger was to be seen. The sun shone delightfully. An evening
sun, and not too hot. All day it had been ripening the corn in the field
close by, and this glowed and waved in the breeze.

"It does just as well, and better," said little Joan, "for if anyone
comes we can see him coming up the field-path."

"Just so," said So-so, blinking in the sunshine.

Suddenly Joan jumped up.

"Oh!" cried she, "there's a bird, a big bird. Dear So-so, can you see
him? I can't, because of the sun. What a queer noise he makes. Crake!
crake! Oh, I can see him now! He is not flying, he is running, and he
has gone into the corn. I do wish I were in the corn, I would catch him,
and put him in a cage."

"I'll catch him," said So-so, and he put u