“Daughter, where are you going?”

“After my stilts.  They’re in the river.”

“Leave them there.  You’ve had enough of stilts.”  And remain in the river they did, although the girls pleaded very hard to get them.

Julia was asked to stay all night, and her mother consented, taking her departure alone.

“Julia,” said Beth, “I must tell you about a dream I had the night of the fire.  It was about stilts that reached up to the clouds, and I walked on them.  Then I began to fly.  Oh, it was lovely.  I wish we could really fly.”

“So do I. I believe we could if we tried.  Let’s try.  We’ll go up on that great high shed and jump off.  We can make our arms go for wings, and it will be just like flying.  Come on.”

Away they hurried to the shed.  After they had climbed up on it, it seemed dreadfully high to Beth, but she did not say so.  Perhaps it seemed formidable to Julia, also, but her actions would not have led one to believe it.

“I’ll try first, Beth.”

Thereupon Julia leaped from the shed, making her arms flap for wings.  Strange to relate, she landed safely and without feeling much jar from it.

“Oh, it’s lovely, Beth.  Come on.”

Poor Beth did not think it so lovely.  She put a bold face on the matter, though, and jumped as she had seen Julia do, also keeping her arms going in the same manner as Julia.  However, she landed with a sickening thud that jarred every bone in her body.

“Isn’t it fun, Beth?  Let’s try it again.”

Up Julia scampered upon the shed.  Beth, not to be outdone, followed after, but more slowly.

Again Julia Jumped and Beth followed.  She felt the jar even more the second time than she had the first.

Fortunately, Mr. Davenport arrived on the scene just in time to see their last leap.

“Children, children, what are you thinking about to jump off that high shed?  You might hurt yourselves badly.  Don’t do such a thing as that again.  Run into the house now; it is about dinner time.”

The children did as they were bidden; but when Mrs. Davenport beheld Beth, she exclaimed: 

“Why, Beth, what is the matter?  You seem to be limping.”

Beth tried to brace up.  “Oh, it’s nothing, mamma.  I’m a little stiff, that’s all.”

“What have you two been up to?”

“We’ve been flying.”

Julia clasped her hands in an ecstasy of delight.  “And it was such fun, Mrs. Davenport.”

“Flying?  What do you mean?”

“Well, you see, we got up on that shed back of the barn, and jumped off.  We made our arms go for wings.”

“The very idea of jumping off that tall shed!  No wonder you are lame.  Beth cannot play another bit to-day.  You two will have to go to bed very early to-night.”

Beth for once in her life did not demur.  She was so worn out that she was really glad to go to bed.  After a good night’s rest she was much better, but she continued lame for several days.