Through the village they went. They did not seem afraid. There were nopeople about. Not a dog was to be seen.
At last they reached grandmother's house.
"Now," said grandmother, "you have followed me to my door. Are youlooking for a new home? Did you pick me out to be your mistress? If youreally wish to live with me, you may. We shall see."
She unlocked the door and went in. She left the door open. And after herwent the two black and white kittens. They ran under the stove at once.Then grandmother shut the door.
In a short time she gave them some warm milk. When they had finished it,they took a walk around the room.
One found grandmother's workbasket. Then he felt sure that he shouldlike his new home. He began to play with the spools.
His brother saw him. He thought he should like a game, too. So he rolledsome of the spools out on the floor. But grandmother put the basket awaybefore they did much harm.
Just then the telephone bell rang. The kittens both looked around. Onejumped upon the table. From there he jumped to the telephone box.
He put his paw on the bell, which kept ringing. Perhaps he thought itwould play with him. Perhaps he did not like the noise.
Then one jumped up into grandmother's lap. She patted it; and soon theother came, too.
"You funny kittens," said grandmother. "You are almost alike. You, sir,have a black spot on this leg. You have not. If you are to be mykittens, I must name you.
"You are so nearly alike, I shall call you Cat and Copy-cat. And, if youare good, you shall always live with me.
"Now I will telephone to Peter and Polly about you."
POLLY'S SNOWSHOES
"Peter, I've thought of something. Let's make some snowshoes."
"How do you do it, Polly?"
"I think I know. I saw a pair this morning. They were made of barrelstaves. They are not real snowshoes, of course."
"Of course not," said Peter. "Father's snowshoes are not made of barrelstaves. Let's go to look at his. Let's make some like them."
"We can't, Peter. But we can make the other kind. Let's see if there isa broken barrel. Then we'll ask mother if we may have four staves."
"My flour barrel is just empty," said mother. "We will roll it outside.I will knock it to pieces. Then you may have your four staves. Pleaseclean them out of doors. If you do not, you will get flour all over theworkshop."
When the children took the staves into the workshop, Peter said, "Whatnext?"
"We want four strips of leather next. They are for straps. We will tackone strap on each stave. They will go across the staves. We will tackthem at the sides. They must be loose. We shall put our toes underthem."
"How will our snowshoes stay on?" asked Peter.
"I'll show you by and by. I must ask mother to cut this leather for me."
When the leather was cut, Polly tacked on the straps. The snowshoes nowlooked like this:
"I wish to put mine on," said Peter.
So he stuck his toes under the leather straps. He scuffed over thefloor. Then he tried to go backward. But he only pulled his feet out ofthe leather straps.
"They will not stay on. I knew they would not," he said. "I do not likethem very well."
"I'm fixing mine so that they will stay on," said Polly. "I will fixyours, too."
To each end of the leather straps Polly had tied a piece of soft rope.Her snowshoes now looked like this:
"Put your toes under the straps, Peter. I will wind the ropes back ofyour heels. Now they go around your ankles and tie in front. See if thesnowshoes will come off now."
Peter scuffed around the room again. The snowshoes held fast. Theyworked very well when he scuffed. But, if he tried to step, the backsflew up and hit him.
"Father's don't do that," said Peter.
"I know it," said Polly. "There are holes in father's. His toes go downthrough those holes. You haven't any holes. So your toes push the frontof your snowshoes down. Then the backs fly up and hit you. You mustscuff, not walk."
"I will," said Peter. "Let's go out of doors and try them. They aregood snowshoes now."
So out the children went. There was a little crust. The children walkedon it. Their snowshoes held them up.
They called to mother. She must see them. Mother looked through thewindow. She clapped her hands.
All went well for a few steps. Then the toe of Polly's snowshoe caught.It cut into the crust.
This pulled Polly forward. She fell on her face. Her arms stuck downinto the snow. The points of her snowshoes stuck down into the snow,too. At first Polly could not get up.
Then she rolled over on her side. She was almost on her feet again, whenWag-wag dashed up.
He had seen Polly rolling in the snow. He thought it was a game. Hewished to play, too.
He took the end of one snowshoe in his teeth. He pulled and pulled. Heshook the snowshoe. Then he jumped around Polly and on her.
Polly was laughing so that she could not scold him. She could only say,"Oh, don't, Wag-wag! Don't!"
Mother and Peter were laughing. And perhaps Wag-wag was laughing, too.
At last he stopped playing. Mother came out of the house. She threw abroom to Polly. Polly helped herself up with this.
She said, "These are good snowshoes. They are best when I am on them.They are not so good when I am down. But I think that I can do betterthan that next time."
THE WOODS IN WINTER
"We are going on a picnic to-day, chicks," said Mr. Howe.
"A picnic, father! I thought picnics were in summer."
"So they are, Polly. But why not have a winter picnic, too? I am goinginto the woods. You may come, if you wish."
"But at picnics we have things to eat. We eat out of doors."
"We shall have things to eat to-day. And we shall eat out of doors,too."
"But, father, we shall be cold!"
"What keeps us warm in the house in winter, Polly?"
"A fire," said Polly. "Oh, now I know, now I know! You will build a firein the woods. Once you promised me that you would. Goody, goody, goody,goody!" And Polly jumped up and down for joy.
"What shall we eat?" asked Peter. "Just bread and butter?"
"Oh, no," said father. "We shall have bread and butter, of course. Butwe shall have other things, too. We will cook our dinner."
"Oh, oh, oh!" cried both children.
"Are you glad? I thought you would like it. Now help me get ready.Please get my knapsack, Polly."
In the kitchen, mother was busy spreading bread. She wrapped paperaround the slices. She put coffee into a small, cheese-cloth bag. Shefilled a flat bottle with milk.
Father took six eggs. He rolled them up in paper. He put a jar of baconinto his knapsack. Then the bread, coffee, and eggs were fitted in. Thebottle of milk went into his pocket.
"We will take my camp dishes," he said. "I will fasten my hatchet to mybelt. Get on your things, and we are ready."
"Let's play that we are Indians," said Polly. "Where are we going,father?"
"Up the wood road on the hill. I must see if all our wood has been cut.We need a little for our furnace, a little for our stove, and a greatdeal for our fireplaces.
"Let's all keep our eyes wide open to-day. We may see interestingthings."
"I think that cooking our dinner will be interesting, father. I almostwish it were dinner time now."
"We will build our fire where our trees have been cut. There we shallfind plenty of firewood," said father.
"See those tracks in the snow, children. A rabbit has been here. Yes,this hollow is where he lies. The snow is packed hard. It is a littledirty, too. Perhaps he is near by, watching us."
"Poor rabbit," said Polly. "What a cold bed. The Eskimos have snow beds.But they have fur rugs to cover the snow."
"The rabbit has one between him and the snow, too. Only his rug is onhis back. It keeps him warm," said father.
"Look, look!" cried Polly. "Over there by those trees!"
"That's sure
ly a rabbit, Polly. See him jump along. He is nearly aswhite as the snow. He did not wait for us to call, did he?"
"What big jumps," said Polly. "I think he could beat Wag-wag."
"I am sure that he could, Polly. His hind legs are very long. They aremade for jumping. He can take twice as big jumps as he is taking now.But he will not, unless we frighten him."
"Why doesn't he go into a hole in the winter? Why doesn't he sleep untilspring comes? The woodchuck does. Why doesn't he?" asked Polly.
"He is not made so that he can. Some animals store up fat on themselves.In the winter they go to sleep.
"Then they seem to live on that fat. For, in the spring, they are alwaysthin and hungry looking.
"You couldn't do that, you know. And the rabbit cannot do it. What arethose birds, Peter?"
"Chickadees," said Peter. "I always know them. They cannot fool me. Theynever say anything but 'chick-a-dee.'"
"Oh, yes, they do, my son. Listen! What is that? There it is again."
"Some one is whistling," said Polly. "Isn't it a pretty whistle?"
"It is just two notes," said father. "Aren't they sweet and clear?"
"It is quite near. But I cannot see any one. Are you doing it, father?"asked Polly. "Why, now I can hear three people."
"Look above you, Polly. You will see who is whistling."
Polly looked. There on a limb of a tree was a chick-a-dee. He wassinging those two notes. In the next tree another was singing two othernotes.
"So you see, Peter, that they do say something besides 'chick-a-dee.'These two notes are their song. The other is just their talk. Perhapsyou can learn to whistle those notes.
"Here is the place where our wood has been cut. Let us look at it."
THE WINTER PICNIC
"Yes," said father, "we shall have plenty of wood. See, this wood withrough bark is maple. This, with smooth bark and lighter spots, is beech.We will not use it in our fireplaces. It might snap sparks out on thefloor.
"And here is some beautiful white birch. This is for our fireplaces.Here is yellow birch, too. Yes, there is plenty for next winter."
"If we were really Indians, we could make canoes out of the white birchbark," said Polly.
"Isn't it nice here? The trees are thick all about us. How still it is!"
"It is still in the woods in winter," said father. "I always like it."
"I think it is too bad to cut the trees down, father. Will they growagain?"
"See, Polly," said father. "We have cut down only the largest trees.They were as large as they would ever be. Now the smaller ones will havea better chance to grow.
"I would not cut them all down, unless I planted more. It would not begood for my land to do that.
"This is the spot for our fire. Let us make it now."
He found a place, near a log, where the snow was not deep. He clearedmost of it away. There he built the fire. He used pieces of birch barkinstead of paper. Small twigs made very good kindling wood.
Peter and Polly pulled birch bark from the logs. They broke up the drytwigs.
With his hatchet, father cut sticks of wood. He laid some of these onthe fire. He stuck his kettle irons down into the snow. They looked likethis:
Then he lighted the fire.
He filled the coffeepot with snow. He hung it on the hook of the kettleirons. It was quite near the blaze. When the snow had melted, more wasput in.
Father said, "It takes much snow to make a coffeepot full of water.When the water boils, we will put in the bag of coffee."
Polly had taken out the camp dishes. She said, "We must have threeplates, three cups, three knives and forks and spoons. I will put themon this log. I will put the bread and butter on the log, too."
Father had cut a straight stick. It looked like a cane. He took out thefrying pan.
"This stick is my handle," said he. "See where it fits in. Now I shallnot need to stand too near the fire. Frying would be hot work, if I hadnot a long handle. Give me the bacon, Peter."
Soon the bacon was cooking nicely. How good it smelled! Then the eggswere dropped into the pan.
When they were fried, father said, "Dinner is ready. Bring your cups.You are to have a little coffee. It will be mostly milk."
This was a great treat. Peter and Polly did not drink coffee at home.Then father gave them their bacon and eggs.
"Why," said father, "I forgot the sugar for our coffee."
"Mother did not," said Polly. "I saw her put it in, and here it is."
How good everything tasted! They sat on the log near the fire to eat. Sothey were quite warm.
"This is the best dinner I ever had," said Polly. "Who taught you tocook, father? I forgot all about playing Indians, I have been so busy."
When dinner was over, father picked up the dishes. He wiped them withpaper napkins. He put them into their case. Mother would wash them athome.
The fire burned low. He threw some snow on it. This made it safe toleave.
"Now I will show you some tracks," said he. "They were made by thewhite-footed mouse. See how small they are. That line in the snow iswhere he dragged his tail.
"He must have gone up into this tree. But I cannot see him anywhere.Perhaps he lives in that old nest up there. He may have watched us eatour dinner."
"Good-by, Mr. White-foot," called Polly. "We are sorry not to see you.We are going home now."
Down the hill through the quiet woods they went. Polly had the bigknapsack over her shoulder. It was quite empty now, and not at allheavy. Peter ran ahead.
At the door, Polly said, "Thank you, father, for our good time. It isthe best picnic that I ever had."
THE SEWING LESSON
"Mother," said Polly one day, "I wish I could sew something real. I amtired of my patchwork. I wish I could make a dress for my doll. Sheneeds a new dress."
"Then you shall try it, Polly. Go to the drawer in the sewing table. Youwill find a pattern at the back of the drawer. It is for you."
"O mother!" said Polly. "How did you think of it?"
"I knew you would need it soon. Here is the cloth for the dress."
She gave Polly some pretty blue cloth. She said, "Spread it out on thetable. Pin the pattern smoothly to the cloth. Be sure to pin itstraight. Now cut around the edge."
Polly worked very carefully. At last she said, "See, mother, this iswhat I have left. There was too much."
Just then Peter came into the room. "What are you doing?" he asked.
"I am cutting out a doll's dress. See my pattern. See my pretty cloth."
"What is this piece for?" asked Peter.
"Nothing," said Polly. "That is left over. I do not need it at all."
"I wish I could have it," said Peter. "I wish I could sew something,too."
"You may have it," said mother. "You may sew something. What do you wishto sew?"
"Let me see, mother. I think I will make me some clothes."
"There is not quite cloth enough for that, Peter. Besides, it would behard to do. Why not make a bean bag?"
"That would be good," said Peter. "Where are the beans?"
"You shall have them when the bag is finished," said mother.
"But I must have them now. I must sew around them, mustn't I?"
"No, dear. This is the way we do it. First we cut it right. Then we turnthe edges. Then we baste them together.
"Here is a little thimble. Here is a large needle. Begin at thiscorner. Make your stitches as small as you can.
"If they are too far apart, your beans will fall out, by and by. How areyou getting on, Polly?"
"I have some of the pieces basted together. May I stop basting and sew alittle?"
"If you like. Aren't you glad now that you can sew over and over sonicely?"
Peter and Polly did not finish their work that day. But at last the beanbag was done. Then Peter took it to Tim's house. He wished to show Timwhat he had made.
At last the dress, too, was finished. How pleased Polly was! She put iton her doll at once.
She said, "Now I will take her calling. I will show her to the otherchildren. They will all wish to make dresses."
"If they do, we will cut the patterns for them," said mother. "Perhapswe can have a little sewing school. I will be the teacher, and you maybe my helper. Should you like that?"
"Oh, I should, I should, mother. You do think of nice things. I will gothis minute and tell the other girls."
FISHING THROUGH THE ICE
"I wish I could go fishing," said Peter.
"You'll have to wait until summer," said Polly.
"Then I wish it were summer now."
"Why, Peter Howe! When it was summer, you wished for winter. Now it iswinter, you would like it to be summer."
"Yes," said Peter. "You see, when I wished for winter, I forgot allabout fishing. Anyway it will be summer soon."
"Not very soon," said Polly. "Will it, mother?"
"I will take you fishing," said father.
"How can you?" cried Peter. "Can you make it summer?"
"No, but I can take you fishing just the same. Get ready and we willgo. Polly may come, too, if she likes."
"Oh, oh, oh!" shouted Peter. "Where is my fish pole, mother?"
"You will not need it, Peter," said father. "We shall need just ourlines, hooks, sinkers, and bait.