“That’s true enough, John,” answered his wife, as she “dished” some of the steaming potatoes—­leaving a goodly number in the pot for the little folk—­“that’s true enough; but you know this is a day of extra frolic for the children.  They’re having such fun, likely, they’ve no notion how the time is passing.  As for the horn, who could expect mortal ears to hear that—­with Bessie and Big Tom laughing and singing, and Rudolph screaming with fun—­as I know he is; and little Kit, bless her! just frantic with delight; I think I can see them now, the merry madcaps!”

Ah! happy, unconscious mother, if you could have seen them—­if their cries of terror could but have reached your ears!

Finally, neighbor Hedden arose, shoving back his stool on the sanded floor.

“Well, well, wifey, you’re right enough, no doubt; but I tell you it isn’t best to be too easy with youngsters, though ours are the best going, if I do say it.  A good trouncing all around, when they come in, wouldn’t be a bit too much for them for being so late;” and, half in fun, half in earnest, he shook his head rather fiercely at his wife, and stalked out of the cottage.

Presently she laughed outright to hear the loud, impatient tones issuing from the great tin horn.  “That’ll fetch them, I reckon,” said neighbor Hedden, showing a smiling face at the window.

As another hour passed away, the songs grew fewer and fainter upon the mother’s lips—­at first from vexation, and, finally, from weariness and a vague feeling of anxiety.

“Bessie should know better,” she thought to herself, “than to stay so long.  I wish I had not let Kitty go with them.”

The next moment she smiled to think how hungry the children would be when they returned, and half wished that it would not be “spoiling” them to make them a good sugar-cake for their supper.

Not until the shadows grew longer upon the edge of the forest, and threatening clouds grew thicker overhead, did her heart quail or her cheek grow white with sudden fear.

“Oh! what can keep them, I wonder!  Why didn’t I ask John to go look for them?” she asked herself over and over again.  But Mrs. Hedden was not one to sit weeping with folded hands while anything remained to be done.

It was not long before their nearest neighbor, who was still at work, enjoying the coolness of the afternoon, leaned upon his spade to wonder what on earth neighbor Hedden’s wife was up to now.

“Why, look there!  Bob,” he called out to his son, “if she ain’t leaping over this way like a year-old colt!”