IX
It was the middle of winter and Cloverfield Farm was deep under snow. The ponds were all frozen over and even the little brook had stopped babbling and was frozen into silvery ice.
Bobby liked the winter, because he could coast on the Little Hill and take rides in the big bob-sleigh.
There was no work to be done on the farm in winter; so Prince and Daisy stood all day in their stalls in the Old Red Barn.
"How would you like a long sleigh ride to-day, Bobby?" asked father one morning.
"I'm ready for one; that would be great fun. Where are you going?" answered Bobby.
"Well, harvest time has come," said father. "So Prince and Daisy and I are going to help harvest butter and ice cream."
"This is not harvest time," said Bobby; "harvest time is in the summer when it is very hot. And besides, Prince and Daisy cannot make butter and ice cream. Mother makes the butter, and John freezes the ice cream."