“Mebbe it’s the thunder-shower that’s kind of dazed ’em,” said Amanda.  She herself was much afraid of a thunder-shower.  She had her feet well drawn up, and her hand over her eyes.

“It’s a mercy Mis’ Field wa’n’t killed out in it,” said Mrs. Green.

“I don’t see what in creation she stayed out so in it for,” rejoined Mrs. Babcock.  “She must have seen the cloud comin’ up.  This is a pretty big house, ain’t it?  An’ I should think it was furnished nice, near’s I can see, but it’s terrible old-fashioned.”

Amanda huddled up in her chair, looked warily at the strange shadows in this unfamiliar room, and wished she were at home.

The storm increased rather than diminished.  When Mrs. Field and Lois returned, all the women, at Mrs. Babcock’s order, drew their chairs close together in the middle of the room.

“I’ve always heard that was the safest place,” said she.  “That was the way old Dr. Barnes always used to do.  He had thirteen children; nine of ’em was girls.  Whenever he saw a thunder-shower comin’ up, he used to make Mis’ Barnes an’ the children go into the parlor, an’ then they’d all set in the middle of the floor, an’ he’d offer prayer.  He used to say he’d do his part an’ get in the safest place he knew of, an’ then ask the Lord to help him.  Mandy Pratt!”

“What say, Mis’ Babcock?” returned Amanda, trembling.

“Have you got your hoop-skirt on?”

Amanda sprang up.  “Yes, I have.  I forgot it!”

“For the land sakes!  I should think you’d thought of that, scared as you pretend to be in a thunder-shower.  Do go in the bedroom an’ drop it off this minute!  Lois, you go with her.”

While Amanda and Lois were gone there was a slight lull in the storm.

“I guess it’s kind of lettin’ up,” said Mrs. Babcock.  “This is a nice house you’ve got here, ain’t it, Mis’ Field?”

“Yes, ’tis,” replied Jane Field.

“I s’pose there was a good deal of nice furniture in it, wa’n’t there?”

“Considerable.”

“Was there nice beddin’?”

“Yes.”

“I s’pose there was plenty of table-cloths an’ such things?  Have you bought any new furniture, Mis’ Field?”

“No, I ain’t,” said Mrs. Field.  She moved her chair a little to make room for Lois and Amanda when they returned.  Lois sat next her mother.

“I didn’t know but you had.  I thought mebbe the furniture was kind of old-fashioned.  Have you—­oh, ain’t it awful?”

The storm had gathered itself like an animal for a fiercer onset.  The room was lit up with a wild play of blue fire.  The thunder crashed closely in its wake.

“Oh, we hadn’t ought to talk of anything but the mercy of the Lord an’ our sins!” wailed Mrs. Babcock.  “Don’t let’s talk of anything else.  That struck somewheres near.  There’s no knowin’ where it’ll come next.  I never see such a shower.  We don’t have any like it in Green River.  Oh, I hope we’re all prepared!”