Of course they could not be allowed in the field before the grain had
been safely garnered, so Nelly had been permitted to mount guard upon
the stile, the better to observe and control them. She quite felt the
importance of the trust, and, holding her switch as proudly as if it
had been a sceptre, was eager and quick to discover occasions to use
it. Many a staid and demure-looking hen, or saucy, daring young
chicken, had stolen quite near to her post, stopping every few moments
to peer cautiously around, or to peck at a blade of grass or an
imaginary worm, as if quite indifferent to the attractions presented
by the field beyond, but just as they had come close to the fence,
thinking themselves unnoticed, Nelly would jump from her perch, and,
with a _thwack_ of the switch, send them squawking back to their
companions. At length, however, the child seemed to grow weary of her
task. Slowly descending to the ground, she walked toward the barn,
and, returning with her apron full of corn, opened the door of the
chicken-house, and, having enticed her charge within, shut them up
for the night. This done, Nelly wandered aimlessly about for a while,
then, sitting down upon a large stone, which seemed to have been
rolled under a tree just to make a nice seat, she looked around
in an impatient and discontented manner.
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