“We’ll do exactly as you say,” Veve promised. Because she couldn’t curb her high spirits, she broke into a snatch of a Brownie song:
“We snip and paste and hammer too,
To aid folks young and old.
And after all our work and play,
A story we will tell.
Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!
The Brownies are with you to stay!”
“I hope the Brownies do stay and prove to be good pickers,” Mr. Hooper said, sighing. “I’ve had plenty of trouble with the crop this season.”
“What sort of trouble, Mr. Hooper?” inquired Connie.
“Well, as I said, the larger orchard owners have hired nearly all of the professional pickers. I’m supposed to have a crew coming in tomorrow, but they may fail me. And my fruit is ripening fast.”