And then they fell to eating with much laughter and gaiety.
"Out in the woods you don't have to pretend you hate to eat, do you, mother?" said Suzanna.
"Nor anywhere else that I know of," said Mrs. Procter, smiling.
"But I don't like to see anyone eat as though he liked to eat," said Suzanna. "May I have two or three grapes, mother?"
She received her grapes. And quiet fell, while each did his best to clear the table. At length when the meal was concluded, and the basket repacked, and the pewter knives and forks carefully wrapped in a napkin, the children begged Suzanna for stories.
So she began, and seemed never to fall short of material. Her mother listened, dreamily contented, till another hour passed and the baby awoke. He was a smiling, happy baby and crowed with delight when his mother allowed him a cracker and a cup of milk.
"Shall we play games?" asked Suzanna next, when just at the moment the sound of wheels was heard and shortly there came into sight a low carriage drawn by the two prosperous, fat brown horses, and seated in the carriage was Suzanna's Eagle Man.
Suzanna darted out into the road. As the carriage did not stop she called out: "Mr. Eagle Man! Oh, Mr. Eagle Man!"
The coachman involuntarily pulled in his horses. He didn't know what peremptory signal would be given him to move on, or what inquiry as to his sanity would scorchingly be made, but Suzanna's eager voice impelled him to stop. Mr. Massey leaned over the side of the carriage.
"I never dreamed you'd ride by our picnic," said Suzanna, all excited. "We've got my mother here and our baby."