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_Write:_ Mercy went out into the cold that she might open the shed
door. She wished to let the donkey in. But she could not open it.

Questions: 1. What did Mercy remember about the shed? 2.
What did she put on? 3. Where did she go? 4. What was the
weather like outside the house? 5. What did she find on
trying to open the shed door? 6. What was it that Mercy
could not forget?

3. THE OLD SHED.

1. All of a sudden, as Mercy had quite made up her mind to leave
Brownie, and was half way across the yard to her own door, a thought
struck her.

2. There was an old shed which had once been the stable of a donkey,
quite at the far end of the garden.

3. Her father had turned it into a pigsty; but he had left off keeping
pigs for some time. It was a clean place, for Peter did not let his
pigs live in a dirty sty as some people do.

4. Some dry straw was in it, and some roots stored for the winter. It
would be just the place if only she could get Brownie there.

5. In a moment she turned back to hurry again over the heap of snow to
the place where the donkey still stood. He could do nothing for himself
to make things better.

6. All that he could do was to bear them without any complaint. Poor
thing! He was stiff with cold, and seemed not to wish to move. But
Mercy knew what was for his good.

7. She meant to do what was best for poor Brownie, whether he knew it
or not. So she talked to him, patted him, and coaxed him till at last
he let her lead him down to the old shed at the bottom of the garden.

8. "This is lucky for you, Brownie," cried she, feeling very proud at
her success. There was a bundle of hay in one corner, of which she
shook down a nice soft armful.

9. And then she gave Brownie one good brisk rubbing with some of the
straw, to warm them both. She made him a bed of straw too.

10. Brownie was glad to nibble a mouthful while this was being done.
Then she took some fine carrots from a shelf, and put them in front of
him. Oh, how Brownie did munch those fresh juicy roots!

11. Lastly, she found a bucket of clean water which had not long been
drawn from the well, and which had only a thin coating of ice on the
top.

12. It had been set in the shed ready for making some mortar, with
which father was going to plaster up the cracks in the wall.

13. Brownie seemed almost more glad of the water than of the food. He
took a long drink, and turned to