t this noon;
and there ain't more'n three loaves o' bread in the pantry. What's that
among a tribe o' such grampuses? I've got to make biscuits for tea, Di;
and I may as well get the pie-crust off my hands at the same time;
it'll be so much done for to-morrow. I wish you'd pick over the
berries. And then I'll find you something else to do. If I had six
hands and two heads, I guess I could about get along."

"But, mother, it won't do for nobody to be in the parlour."

"I thought he was gone?"

"Only gone out into the field to see the haymakers."

"Queer company!" said Mrs. Starling, leaving her bowl of dough, with
flowery hands, to peer out of a window. "You may make your mind easy,
Di; he won't come in again. I declare! he's got his coat off and he's
gone at it himself; ain't that him?"

Diana looked and allowed that it was. Mr. Knowlton had got a rake in
hand, his coat hung on the fence, and he was raking hay as busily as
the best of them. Diana gave a little sigh, and turned to her pan of
berries. This young officer was a new language to her, and she would
have liked, she thought, to spell out a little more of its graceful
peculiarities. The berries took a good while. Meantime Mrs. Starling's
biscuit went into the oven, and a sweet smell began to come thereout.
Mrs. Starling bustled about setting the table; with cold pork and
pickles, and cheese and berry pie, and piles of bread brown and white.
Clearly the haymakers were expected to supper.

"Mother," said Diana doubtfully, when she had washed her hands from the
berry stains, "will you bring Mr. Knowlton out _here_ to tea, if he
should possibly stay?"

"He's gone, child, this age."

"No, he isn't."

"He ain't out yonder any more."

"But his horse stands by the fence under the elm."

"I wish he was farther, then! Yes, of course he'll come here, if he
takes supper with _me_ to-night. I don't think he will. I don't know
him, and I don't know as I want to."

But this vaguely expressed hope was disappointed. The young officer
came in, a little while before supper; laughingly asked Diana for some
water to wash his hands; and followed her out to the lean-to. There he
was introduced to Mrs. Starling, and informed her he had been doing her
work, begging to know if that did not entitle him to some supper. I
think Mrs. Starling was a little sorry then that she had not made
preparations to receive him more elegantly; but it was too late now;
she only rushed a lit