114 THE COUSINS.

the other side of the spring, till she was above the
walnut-tree, before she turned to the fence:
“What are you going this way for, Clara? I
thought we were to climb the fence?”

“‘So we are—but I am going up here to get on
to dry ground; if you crossed down there, you
would wet your feet in spite of your shoes-—yes!
and lose your shoes too, if they were not tied fast.
T lost one of mine there once.”

They climbed the low fence easily enough, and
proceeded along the edge of the wood for about
fifty yards, when Clara, who was leading the way,
stopped and said, ‘Here, now, you can see Mr.
Smith’s house plain enough.” Lucy stepped up
to her side, and saw a long, low farm-house, built
very much like Farmer Nye’s, but scarcely so
pleasantly situated. “I do wish some of them
would come out of doors. I could easily see, at
this distance, if it was any one I knew.”

“Tt is only a little way,” said Clara, good-
naturedly; “if you want to see them so very
much, and don’t think your father and mother
will scold, we can go there.”

“Qh, no!” exclaimed Lucy, shrinking back ;