“Oh, I’m Ally!” answered the little creature. “I’ve come to find you. You’re one of the Children of the Hill, I suppose, and here’s the baby, the very baby! Come with me quick! Aunt Susan wants the baby!”
“What!” cried Sally in alarm. “It ain’t Heaven den?”
“Why, no,” said Ally. “It’s Green Ridge. It’s the basin where we have picnics.”
“Who’s Aunt Susan?”
“Why, she’s—she’s Aunt Susan at the house. She’s real sweet. And she wants the baby.”
“Is it de ’Statution down there?’
“It’s the farm,—Old Uncle’s farm,” said Ally, “and Uncle Billy’s farm.”
“Oh, de farm-school!” cried Sally, sure now of evil mischance. “Well, I ain’t goin’, and you can tell ’em so!”
“Oh, but I want you to! I live down there—I’m one of the Children of the Valley. We have beautiful times. We learn lessons, a little while mornings, and then we have beautiful times. We’re all learning to swim, and we had fireworks the Fourth of July. And there’s Essie and Janet and Jack and”—just then old Brindle went across a pasture down below. “You aren’t afraid of cows, are you?”
“I ain’t afraid o’ nothin’,” said Sally defiantly.