e
field. There was scanty space for the load to pass through, and in his
anxiety not to foul either of the posts the old Squire, who could not
see well because of the overhanging hay, drove a few inches too close to
one of them, and a wheel passed over a small stone beside the wheel
track. The jolt was slight, but it proved sufficient to loosen the
unstable "podgum." The load had barely cleared the posts when the entire
side of it came sliding down--and grandmother Ruth with it! We heard her
cry out as she fell, and then all of us who were behind scaled the wall
and rushed to her rescue. The old Squire stopped the horses, jumped from
his seat over the off horse's back and was ahead of us all, crying,
"Ruth, Ruth!"

There was a huge heap of loose hay on the ground, fully ten feet high,
but she was nowhere to be seen in it. Nor did she speak or stir.

"Great Lord, I'm afraid it's killed her!" Elder Witham exclaimed. Jim
and Asa stood horrified, and the girls burst out crying.

The old Squire had turned white. "Ruth! Ruth!" he cried. "Are you badly
hurt? Do you hear? Can't you answer?" Not a sound came from the hay, not
a movement; and, falling on his knees, he began digging it away with his
hands. None of us dared use our hay-forks, and now, following his
example, we began tearing away armfuls of hay. A moment later, Addison,
who was burrowing nearly out of sight, got hold of one of her hands. It
frightened him, and he cried out; but he pulled at it. Instantly there
was a laugh from somewhere underneath, then a scramble that continued
until at last grandmother Ruth emerged without aid of any sort and stood
up, a good deal rumpled and covered with hay but laughing.

"It didn't hurt me a mite!" she protested. "I came down light as a
feather!"

"But why didn't you answer when we called to you?" the elder exclaimed
reprovingly. "You kept so still we were scared half to death about you!"

"Oh, I just wanted to see what you would all do," she replied airily and
still laughing. "I was a little afraid you would stick your forks into
the hay, but I was watching for that."

The old Squire was so relieved, so overjoyed, to see her on her feet
unhurt that he had not a word of reproach for her. All he said was,
"Ruth Ann, I'm afraid you are growing too young for your age!"

The truth is that grandmother Ruth was dreadfully chagrined that the
load she had laid had not held together as far as the barn; and it was
partly mortifi