Farmer Green and his wife listened to this speech with amazement.
"I never heard of a boy that liked to pick currants," said Johnnie's father. "Still, you can try if you want to."
"Come home before it gets dark!" said his mother.
"Look out for that pony!" Farmer Green exclaimed. "I don't know what's come over him. I stepped into his stall to-day and he kicked at me. I've never known him to do that before."
Johnnie Green promised to be careful, and to come home early. Having important business on his hands, he hurried away without a second piece of cake. And that was a most unusual oversight on his part.
In the morning three boys appeared before Johnnie had finished his breakfast. Though they had already eaten theirs, they accepted Mrs. Green's invitation to sit at the table and have some griddlecakes and maple syrup. "If you boys are going to pick currants you'll want a good, big breakfast," she told them.
There was no doubt that they agreed with her.
"If they're as lively at picking as they are at eating you'll have all the currants in the kitchen by noon," Farmer Green remarked to his wife with a laugh as the boys trooped off toward the barn with their tin pails.
A few minutes later a noise as of terrific pounding reached the ears of Farmer Green as he stood talking with his wife.
"What's that?" he muttered. "It sounds as if the barn was falling down."