“We see bossy-cow?” asked William, as he took hold of his sister’s hand on one side, and Ted’s on the other.
“Yes, if we can find one,” promised Jan. “Come on!”
Trouble was very willing to go. He toddled along down the side path out toward the barn. Some chickens, in their wire-fenced yard where they were kept so they could not scratch the garden, cackled at the children, and an old rooster crowed.
“Dat our roosterfer?” asked William, making the name a little longer than it needed to be.
“No, that isn’t our roosterfer,” laughed Jan. “It’s one just like ours, though. Oh, Trouble, you mustn’t throw a stick at the nice rooster!” she cried, for her little brother had let go of her hand and had tossed a stick over into the chicken yard, making the fowls scatter about with many a surprised cluck.
“What are you doing, Trouble?” asked Ted.
“Make roosterfer crow see if he got cold like our roosterfer,” was the answer. “Trouble want hear roosterfer crow.”
“Oh, never mind about the roosterfer,” beguiled Jan. “Let’s go to see the bossy-cows.”
This was what William wanted, so away he toddled, leaving the chickens in peace. The children went out to the barn, where some of the horses, which the men were not using at different places on the farm, were eating hay or grain in their stalls. Ted and Jan always liked to look at the horses. Sometimes one would put its head over the lower half of the closed stall door and look at the little boy and girl, letting them rub its velvety nose.
While Jan and Ted were doing this of course they could not keep hold of Trouble’s hands, nor did they watch him very closely. So, when they looked for him a little later, they did not see their small brother.