“The bulls won’t hurt us, they’re in the field; we can drive round by the road, and you can stay in the pony carriage while I run to the house and ask Mrs. Anderson if she has seen a girl who looks like Peggy.”
“Well, all right,” said Jessie, “we shall be doing something. Do you know, Molly, that often and often I think the holidays too long; we have much better fun at school, where all our time is mapped out for us.”
But to this Molly would not agree. The pony carriage was brought round, the children stepped into it, and very soon found themselves—that is a little before noon that day—outside Anderson’s big farm. Peggy happened to be at the back of the premises at that moment, and did not see them arrive. Had she done so she would have quickly rushed away and hidden herself either behind or under one of the haystacks. Molly walked up the neat little path which led to the front door; she rang the bell, and after a minute’s delay Mrs. Anderson came to answer it, and when she saw Molly her face beamed with welcome.
“Miss, I’m delighted to see you. Is there anything you want, or your dear mother or father? I’m charmed to see you, miss. We’re rather in a fluster to-day, it being harvest-time; but, thank goodness! I’ve got a very smart little girl to come in and help me.”
There was something in the tone of the woman’s voice which aroused Molly’s suspicions. “What sort of a girl is she?” she asked. “When did she come?”
“Oh miss, you wouldn’t be likely to know anything about her; she isn’t in your class at all. My husband brought her in this morning, a queer, wild little thing she is, but splendid at the work. Where do you think he found her, miss?”
“Where?” asked Molly, her heart beginning to beat very fast.
“Why, miss, you’d never guess if you was to try till Doomsday; on the back of Nimrod, no less, riding him round and round the field, and as pleased as Punch, and as cool as though she were sitting in an easy-chair at home!”
Just at this moment, before Mrs. Anderson had time to say a word more, Peggy herself put in an appearance.
“Sorra a bit o’ me is goin’ back,” she said; and then she looked at Molly, laughed, ran up to Mrs. Anderson, began to kiss her, and the next minute flung her arms round her neck. “It’s here I’m goin’ to stay.”