46 LUCY AMONG, THE MOUNTAINS.

They then went into all the rooms of the house,
except the little bedroom where Lucy’s mother
was. ‘They opened all the closet doors too, and
looked into them, to see if every thing was in
order. When they came into the little room
where Ellen slept, there was a little chest in it,
where she kept her clothes; and she opened the
lid, and asked them all to look in and see if her
things were not in order.

After they had thus examined the whole house,
they went out at the front door, and thence across
the yard into the garden. They walked up and
down all the alleys, looking at the beds and
borders, to see if all was in proper condition.

It was pretty late in the season, and there
were not many weeds growing. Ellen and
Robert both had some beds in one corner, where
they raised corn, and peas, and beans, for seed.

The General told them it was nearly time for
them to gather their beans.

When they came out of the garden, Robert
asked his father to look at the hinge of the gate,
which, he said, was coming off.

There was a narrow piece of board nailed upon
the post, and the hinges of the gate were nailed
to that. By some means or other, however, this