114 LUCY AMONG THE MOUNTAINS.

and fastened the horse. Then she helped Lucy
out, and they both together went into the store.

It was a much larger and pleasanter store than
Lucy had expected. There were two pretty
large counters. One was at the back side of the
store. There were a great many goods, of all
kinds, upon the shelves. At the back corner of
the store there was a door, which seemed to open
out into a pleasant yard. There were one or
two chairs near this door. Comfort conducted
Lucy along to this corner, and gave her a seat in
one of the chairs.

“Now, Lucy,” said she, “I expect it will take
me ever so long to do my shopping ; and you may
amuse yourself here as well as you can. You
can look about the store, or sit here, or go out in
the yard.”

“ Well,” said Lucy, “TI shall do very well, I
don’t doubt.”

Comfort then went away, and presently came
back with a piece of gingerbread, which she had
bought of the storekeeper, and gave it to Lucy.
Lucy was glad, both because she liked ginger-
bread, and also because she was a little hungry.
After she had begun to eat her gingerbread, she
thought she heard a peeping sound out in the