"Amen," said Maria-Ann, heartily--"Land sakes, grandmarm! how you scairt me, looking up so sudden!" she exclaimed, almost in the same breath.
"Thought I heerd somethin'," said the old dame, holding her head in a listening attitude--"Hark!"
"I don't hear nothin', grandmarm. Now, just eat your apples while they 're hot. What did you think you heard?" she continued, dishing the apples.
"I thought I heerd it when I was out in the shed, too."
"I should n't wonder if 't was a deer. I saw one come into the clearing this afternoon, an' seein' 't was Christmas evening, I put a good bundle of hay out to the south door of the cow-shed."
"Guess 't was that, then," said Aunt Tryphosa. "You clear up, Maria-Ann, an' I 'll keep up a good fire, for I want to finish off them stockings for Ben Blossom an' Chi. I s'pose you 've got your things ready in case we see a team go by to-morrow?"
"Yes, they 're all ready," said her granddaughter, rather absently, and set about washing the few dishes.
When all was done, neatly and quickly as Maria-Ann so well knew how, she flung on her shawl, saying:
"I 'm goin' out a minute to see if the bundle of hay is gone, and besides, I want to look at the moon on the snow; it's the first time I 've seen it so this year." She opened the door--
"Oh, Luddy!" she screamed, as bundle, and basket, and bag toppled over into the room.