V 



AN AUTUMN HOLIDAY 



HEN Nat awoke the next 



nioniiiig, lie lay quite still 



for a moment, rubbing his 



eyes and wondering, what 



it was that he was trjdng 



to remember. 



He did not seem to be in 



any more of a hurry to get 



up than the sun, who was 



only beginning to peep 



through the most southerly corner of the orchard trees, 



instead of being up above them at this hour, as had 



been his habit all summer. 



Nat finally opened his eyes and looked toward the 

 window, still half dreaming about Wild West Shows, 

 animal trees, and four-footed Americans, wondering 

 why the light was so speckled. Then as he saw the 

 frost crystals that covered the panes with their beauti- 

 ful fern traceries, it all came back like a flash, and he 

 jumped out, shouting, '' There's been a hard frost, and 

 we are to go nutting to-day, and hear about the 

 surprise ! " 



At the same moment Dodo's sturdy fist pounded on 

 the door. Bang, bang, bang ! " Aren't you up yet, 



41 



