What Might Have Been Expected | Page 5

they returned to the pine-tree, Kate took up her bag. Harry
followed her example, but somewhat slowly, as if he were thinking of
something else.
"I tell you, Harry," said Kate, "suppose you take your gun and go along
the creek and see what that was that made the tracks. If it was anything
with fur on it, it would come to more than the sumac. I will stay here,
and go on filling my bag."
"Well," said Harry, after a moment's hesitation, "I might go a little way
up the creek. I needn't be gone long. I would certainly like to find that
creature, if I can."
"All right," said Kate; "I think you'll find it."
So Harry loaded his gun, and hurried off to find the tracks of the
mysterious, and probably fur-covered animal.
Kate worked away cheerfully, singing a little song, and filling her bag
with the sumac-leaves. It was now much warmer, and she began to find
that sumac picking, all alone, was not very interesting, and she hoped
that Harry would soon find his animal, whatever it was. Then, after
picking a little longer, she thought she would sit down, and rest awhile.
So she dragged her bag to the pine-tree, and sat down, leaning her back
against the tall trunk. She took her bag of sumac in her arms, and lifted
it up, trying to estimate its weight.
"There must be ten pounds here!" she said, "No--it don't feel very
heavy, but then there are so many of the leaves. It ought to weigh
fifteen pounds. And they will be a cent a pound if we take pay in trade,
and three-quarters of a cent if we want cash. But, of course, we will
take things in trade."
And then she put down the bag, and began to calculate.
"Fifteen pounds, fifteen cents, and at seventy-seven and three-quarter
cents per week, that would support Aunt Matilda nearly a day and a
half; and then, if Harry has as much more, that will keep her almost

three days; and if we pick for two hours longer, when Harry comes
back, we may get ten pounds more apiece, which will make it pretty
heavy; but then we won't have to come again for nearly five days; and
if Harry shoots an otter, I reckon he can get a dollar for the skin--or a
pair of gloves of it--kid gloves, and my pink dress--and we'll go in the
carriage--two horses--four horses--a prince with a feather--some
butterflies--" and Kate was asleep.
When Kate awoke, she saw by the sun that she had been asleep for
several hours. She sprang to her feet. "Where is Harry?" she cried. But
nobody answered. Then she was frightened, for he might be lost. But
soon she reflected that that was very ridiculous, for neither of them
could be lost in that neighborhood which they knew so well. Then she
sat down and waited, quite anxiously, it must be admitted. But Harry
did not come, and the sun sank lower. Presently she rose with an air of
determination.
"I can't wait any longer," she said, "or it will be dark before I get home.
Harry has followed that thing up the creek ever so far, and there is no
knowing when he will get back, and it won't do for me to stay here. I'll
go home, and leave a note for him."
She put her hand in her pocket, and there was Harry's pencil, which she
had borrowed in the morning and forgot to return, and also the piece of
paper on which she had made her calculation of the cost of Aunt
Matilda's board. The back of this would do very well for a note. So she
wrote on it:
I am going home, for it is getting late. I shall go back by the same road
we came. Your sumac-bag is in the bushes between the tree and the
creek. Bring this piece of paper with you, as it has Aunt Matilda's
expenses on the outside.
Kate.
This note she pinned up against the pine tree, where Harry could not
fail to see it. Then she hid her brother's sumac-bag in the bushes and,
shouldering her own bag, which, by-the-way, did not weigh so many

pounds as she thought it did, set out for home.
CHAPTER IV.
KATE, VERY NATURALLY, IS ANXIOUS.
Kate hurried through the woods, for she was afraid she would not reach
home until after dark, and indeed it was then quite like twilight in the
shade of the great trees around her. The road on which she was walking
was, however, clear and open, and she was certain she knew the way.
As she hastened on, she could not help feeling that she was wasting this
delightful walk