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The next day Mrs. Grey went with the children to the village, and selected such provisions as she thought most suitable for Mrs. Thompson’s use. She also selected some calico for dresses for Sarah.

Mrs. Grey took the bundles, and getting back into the carriage they proceeded on their way to Mrs. Thompson’s cottage.

Their knock was answered by Sarah, who opened the door with a bright smile upon her face.

“Oh, ma’am,” she exclaimed, as she saw Mrs. Grey, “you don’t know how much better mother has been since you sent her the beef tea, and other things. Why she could speak quite loud this morning. Only,” she added, “she says she ought to get up and work now that she feels so much better. But I’m sure she ought not, for the doctor said most particular as how she was to stay in bed.”

“She mustn’t think of getting up,” said Mrs. Grey. “I will go in and see her.”

While Mrs. Grey was in the sick room the

children opened the bundle, and showed Sarah the dresses. She was greatly delighted, you may be sure. They then helped her to carry the groceries into the kitchen and to select the best places in which to keep them.

But Sarah said she would not put them away until she had washed off the shelves, and swept out the closet again.

So the three children, went out in the yard, and sat on the fence to wait until their mother should be ready to return. They were very much interested in watching some boats which were blown about on the water, and in talking about the fair.

While Susy and Alice were telling Sarah of their plans for her mother, they suddenly saw in a field some distance from where they were sitting a little girl playing with a lamb.

“Why, who is that child?” said Susy. “She cannot live near here, for there is no house for a great distance.”

“I am sure I do not know. I have never seen her before,” said Sarah.

“She has no hat on, and she looks dreadfully distressed about something.”

“I think we had better go and see what she is doing,” said Sarah; “perhaps she has lost her way.”

So the children jumped down from the fence, and, running for a little distance, they came to the field where the child was standing.

As soon as she saw our little friends she began to run towards them as fast as she could go, crying:

“Oh, please, please, show me the way home. I want my mamma.”

Alice went up to the child, and, putting her arms around her, she kissed the child gently, saying:

“Do not cry, dear. We will take you home, only tell us where you live. How did you get here? Have you lost your way?”

“Oh,” said the little girl, “I lost my lamb—he wandered away—so I thought I would go and find him. I hunted and hunted for