"As if we was babies," thought the little girls, for they were wise enough to know that strawberries were gone long ago.
"I don't like her," said Prudy to Dedy, when Ruth had turned away; "she calls me names all the whole time. I guess she don't know my name is Prudy."
"I wouldn't let her," said Dedy. "What did she call you?"
"O, monkeys, and lammies, and pinkies, and things. Don't you s'pose she's 'most an April fool?"
After watching Prudy to the child's vexation for about two hours, Ruth forgot all about her, and it so happened that the little thing strayed off with Horace and his friend Gilbert, whom he called "Grasshopper," to a little clearing in the wood.
It is a sad fact that "Grasshopper" had a bunch of matches in his pocket, and the boys meant to build a fire. Horace gathered the dry sticks and crossed them, so all Grasshopper had to do was to strike a match, and the fire was soon crackling briskly.
"How it pops!" said Prudy, "just like corn."
"I reckon this is popple wood," said Horace, "and they call it so because it pops in the fire."
Prudy did not doubt it. She never doubted any thing Horace said. She stood looking on, with dumb surprise, as he took out of the inside pocket of his raglan three small fishes.
"Now," said he, "if we can cook these for our supper, won't we go a-flyin'?"