"Why don't you two go by yourselves?" said Maggie.
Aunt Jane frowned. "We can't leave you kids alone for the whole day."
"Uncle Fred can watch us," said Tim.
"Sure," Maggie agreed. "He said he's going to be greasing machinery in the machine shed today."
"Well ..." said Aunt Jane. "... maybe that would be okay. But you kids stay close to home. Do you hear?"
Three heads nodded solemnly. She didn't say how close, thought Maggie.
So the women set off for the woods with their berry buckets looking very happy. The minute they were out of sight Maggie gave Tim a pat on the back.
"Good work," she said. "That bit about my leg was really smart. Just let me lock Corky in the house, and we can get going."
They slipped into the barn by the back door so Maggie's dad wouldn't see them. Tim took Molly's bridle, and Maggie filled her pockets with oats. Then they cut through the cornfield instead of going up the lane in plain sight.
"How's your ankle?" asked Tim as they hurried through the tall green stalks.