So
intent were they upon their game that neither of them saw Doris as she
moved toward them, nodding brightly to many convalescents seated about
the veranda.
"Whoa!" said Pete, as Ruth disarranged the noble steed in her eagerness
to fit the bit of pasteboard Pete had handed to her. "Now, I reckon
he'll stand till we find that barn-door and the water-trough. Do you
reckon he wants a drink?"
"He looks very firsty," said Ruth.
"Mebby he's hungry, too,"--and Pete found the segment of a mechanically
correct haystack.
"No!" cried Ruth positively, taking the bit of haystack from Pete;
"wet's put some hay in his house."
"Then that there cow'll git it--and she's plumb fed up already."
"Den I give 'at 'ittle cow his breakfuss,"--and the solicitous Ruth
placed the section of haystack within easy reach of a wide-eyed and
slightly disjointed calf--evidently the offspring of the well-fed cow,
judging from the paint-markings of each.
But suddenly little Ruth's face lost its sunshine. Her mouth quivered.
Pete glanced up at her, his dark eyes questioning.
"There's lots more hay," he stammered, "for all of 'em.
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