(Kn (Recount ^xtH) (Ttatvire 



by with a fistful of stones, and waited for the thieves 

 to show themselves. I came so near to hitting one of 

 them once that the sweat started all over me. After 

 that there was no danger. I lost my nerve. The little 

 scamps knew that war was declared, and they hid and 

 dodged and sighted me so far off that even with a gun 

 I should have been all summer killing the seven of 

 them. 



Meantime, a big rain and the warm June days 

 were turning the berries red by the quart. They had 

 more than caught up to the squirrels. I dropped my 

 stones and picked. The squirrels picked, too, so did 

 the toads and robins. Everybody picked. It was free 

 for all. We picked them and ate them, jammed them 

 and canned them. I almost carried some over to my 

 neighbor, but took peas instead. You simply can't 

 give your strawberries in New England to ordinary 

 neighbors, who are not of your choosing. You have 

 no fears at all as to what they will say to your 

 peas. 



The season closed on the Fourth of July, and our 

 taste was not dim nor this natural love for straw- 

 berries abated ; but all four of the small boys had 

 the hives from over-indulgence, so bountifully did 



179 



