“They’re locked up fast,” Grandfather assured her—­much to Mary Jane’s relief.

“Then, Mary Jane,” continued Grandmother, “you go out to the barn and up the little ladder you’ll find in the middle of the barn.  And in the loft somewhere, I’m sure you’ll see it easily, you’ll find a little, covered basket.  It’s the very one your mother and your Aunt Cornelia used to carry egg-hunting.  If it’s too dusty, bring it here, and I’ll clean it for you.  Now run along, Pet,” added Grandmother with a kiss for the up-turned face, “and don’t be long.  I’ll miss my little girl.”

Just as Mary Jane opened the screen door to go out, a beautiful big black and brown dog came running up to the door.

“Well, Bob!” exclaimed Grandmother, “where have you been all morning?  I wanted Mary Jane to get acquainted with you right away and you weren’t anywhere around!  Mary Jane, this is Bob, our good dog, and he’s the best creature friend a little girl can make.”  She stepped out of the door with Mary Jane and they both sat down on the steps and talked to Bob.  Mary Jane liked him from the first.  He had such a pretty face and such friendly, kind eyes and he looked as though he would be good to little girls.

“May he go with me to the barn?” she asked.

“Indeed, yes,” replied Grandmother.  “You just start along and watch him follow you!  He’ll go wherever you go from now on.  You won’t even have to call him!”

Mary Jane jumped up and, just as Grandmother said, Bob jumped up from the steps too and together they started off to the barn.

“Can you climb up a ladder?” asked Mary Jane gayly, as she skipped along by Bob.  “I can climb a ladder all by myself!  I did it one day when Mother hung curtains.”

But dear me!  When Mary Jane saw the steep ladder that went up to the barn loft she wasn’t so sure she could climb a ladder after, all!  She had been thinking of a nice little step-ladder such as her mother had and this was a steep, narrow ladder made of funny little pieces of wood nailed on to narrow strips that were fastened to the barn.  Not a bit like any ladder Mary Jane had ever seen before.

“But the basket’s up there, Bob,” said Mary Jane, glad of some one to think aloud to, “and my grandmother she wouldn’t tell me to go up if I couldn’t, so I guess I’ll try.”

She put one foot on the ladder and then the other.  “Why, it’s just like climbing a gate only it isn’t a gate,” she announced proudly, “and I’m way up a’ready!”

It was easy to step from the ladder to the loft because the sides of the ladder went on up high and she simply held tight to them and stepped off onto the floor Of the loft.

And that was the funniest place Mary Jane had ever seen!  Hay everywhere, and a pleasant, fragrant smell that pleased Mary Jane even though she hadn’t an idea why.  She looked around a minute and then hunted for the basket.