their ride.

They went along a shady road near the river, and soon they saw some
geese. Several of them were swimming in the water, and one or two were
on the bank. One of these had a sort of frame around its neck, and was
standing on one leg.

Maud said, "Why, see that poor goose! It has only one leg; and they have
put that frame on so it can walk better." But a few minutes after she
looked again, and the goose was standing very comfortably on both feet.
So it really had two, but had been curling up one of them quite out of
sight.

[Illustration]

After riding some time, they came to a ferry,--a place for crossing the
Androscoggin River; and papa drove through a pleasant field down to the
bank of the river. Here they saw a man cutting grass, and asked him
about the ferry-boat. He came up and took a horn that hung on a post,
and blew a blast, which the ferry-boy on the other side of the river
heard.

When the boy heard it, he began to unfasten his boat, and pull it over;
and Maud and her father and mother waited, sitting in the buggy, until
the boy brought his boat close to the shore, so that they could drive on
to it easily.

Then papa said, "Are you all ready?" and the boy answered, "Yes, sir;"
and Hannah walked on the boat and stood perfectly still, while the boy
kept pulling a strong rope, until he drew the boat, with the horse and
buggy and people, safely over to the other side. Then they drove up the
bank of the river, and came to a gate, which a little girl opened.

[Illustration]

Next they came to a very pleasant wood,--so pleasant that papa stopped
Hannah in the shade, and said she might rest a little; and mamma and
Maud got out of the buggy, and picked the young boxberry-leaves, and the
red berries, and pulled long vines of evergreen, and gathered moss.

When papa thought it was time to go, he said, "All aboard!" and they got
in, and he drove on. They had not gone far when Maud asked if she might
drive. So papa handed her the reins; and Hannah seemed to go on just as
well as ever.

After Maud had been driving a little while, her father said he thought
she had better give the reins to him. This she did, and they went to the
village, stopped at the post-office, and then drove swiftly home in
season for dinner.

H.

BETHEL, ME.

[Illustration]

OLD TRIM.

HERE'S brave old Trim: I once with him
Was walking n