Randy and Her Friends | Page 3

see 'em he ran off with the glasses to see
if they would help him. He tied our old Tom to the mouse trap because
he said that he wanted the cat to be on hand when the mice ran in. He
carried a squash pie out to the brindle cow because he thought she must
be tired of eating nothing but grass, and if he and Grandma Babson
have got to spend three months under the same roof, I b'lieve he'll drive
her crazy, for she hates boys and don't mind saying so, and he can think
of more mischief in one day than any other child could in a week."
Both girls laughed as they thought of little Hi's pranks and Randy said,
with a bright twinkle in her eyes,
"At least, you and Jemima will be amused this winter."

"I guess we shall be in more ways than one," assented Belinda, "for I'm
pretty sure that Grandma Babson and that small boy will be enemies
from the start."
Belinda's habitually jolly face wore such a comical look of anxiety that
Randy refrained from laughing, and to change the subject asked for a
schoolmate whom she had not recently seen. "Where is Molly Wilson?"
she questioned.
"Oh, Molly is so hard at work now it's only once in a while that I see
her. Her baby sister is ill, and Molly has no time for anything but
helping around home. Her mother says that she intends to have her go
back to school if she can spare her, but whatever do you suppose Molly
meant?
"She said to me, 'Belinda, even if mother can spare me, I may not go to
school. You can't think how anxious I am to be at work at my lessons
again, but I'm afraid I shan't look fit and father's had such a hard
summer, the farm hasn't paid for working it, he says, that I couldn't ask
him for anything for myself if I never had it.'
"And oh, I never thought, Randy, I promised Molly I would not tell
what she said. I didn't mean to. Whatever made me forget?"
"Never mind," said Randy, an odd little smile showing the dimples at
the corners of her mouth.
"I will not tell a single girl you may be very sure, but you and I who
know it will be extra kind to Molly."
"Indeed we will," assented Belinda. "I'll go over this afternoon and see
if I can help her. The baby is a sweet little thing and she likes me, so
perhaps I shall be some help. Oh, there's Jemima calling at the bars, I
guess ma wants me. My! I wonder if some of our company has arrived?
"Remember not to tell what I told you," cried Belinda to Randy, who
stood looking after her friend, as she ran across the pasture to join
Jemima.

They turned to wave their hands to Randy, who responded, then, as
they disappeared behind a clump of trees, she turned her eyes toward
the sunny valley and with her hands loosely clasped seemed to be
watching the shimmering sunlight on the winding river below.
She had long been standing thus when a gentle whinny made her turn
to offer the caress for which old Snowfoot was hinting.
The horse laid a shaggy head against Randy's shoulder and edged
nearer as the girl patted her nose, then walking over to a large rock she
stood close beside it and began to neigh, at the same time looking
fixedly at Randy.
"Oh you cunning old thing," said Randy with a laugh.
"You're inviting me to ride, just as you always do, by walking up to
that big flat rock so that I can mount. Well you old dear," she continued
as she stepped upon the rock and prepared to seat herself upon
Snowfoot's back,
"I've found out what to do with that precious gold piece, and I'm going
to do it."
Then without saddle or bridle, but with a firm grasp upon the shaggy
mane she chirped to her steed and the horse pricking up her ears at the
sound, bounded forward, and proud of her charge carried her across the
pasture to the bars where little Prue stood waiting to meet her.
It was evident that the little sister had wonderful news to tell, for her
brown eyes were very wide open and she could hardly wait for Randy
to slip down from Snowfoot's back before beginning to tell what so
excited her.
"Oh, what do you think!" she began when with her hand in Randy's
they trudged along towards home.
"My Tabby's caught a mouse, and father's just come back from the
Centre and he's brought the cloth for a new dress for you'n me,