There were still many things around the farm the children had not seen. When they awakened from a shorter nap than they had had on previous days of their stay at Beverly Farm, Grandfather came from his study to tell them they could have a long play period, because he would be working at his desk until dinner time.

"You children are well enough acquainted with the farm by this time so that you can find your way around, alone. Adam will let you watch him feed the chickens. I'm sure you will find other interesting things to do, too, like going to the garden and watching the frogs in the pool." Grandfather suggested to Ardath and Arthur.

The suggestions were followed. It was fun watching Adam feed the chickens. They gobbled down their food as impolitely as the dogs had done. Ardath noticed that they did not chew their food and asked Adam how they could digest it if it was not chewed. Adam explained that the chickens had a craw to store the food and that digestion took place in it, gradually.

"Do chickens have teeth?" Arthur wanted to know as he watched them scratch the ground industriously and pick out bits of something that Adam said was gravel.

"No, they don't need teeth." Adam informed Arthur. "They pick gravel out of the ground and that helps the digestion in the craw and in the gizzard."

That brought on a lot more questions about chickens. When the children learned all they wanted to know, for the time, Arthur said he wanted Ardath to watch him wheel the barrow, again. She watched him, he could not push it yet without tilting. He could balance it if he stood still.

"Tomorrow, I bet I can wheel it without tilting," Arthur was encouraged by his improvement in skill, but did not try anymore because Ardath wanted to go to the rose garden. Arthur wanted to go, too, to see the frogs leaping into the lily pond. Arthur kept thinking about catching a frog and taking it back with him to Phoenix. He wanted to show it to his friends.

Both children lay down flat at the edge of the pool and watched the frogs sitting quietly on the lily pads. It looked so easy to catch one as they were as still as stones, but as soon as Arthur moved to catch one, the frog leaped in the water so fast he could not even touch it.

Ardath went about smelling the roses. When Arthur tired of trying to catch a frog, he looked for an easy tree to climb. When he found one, Hector and Hettie, the big collie dogs came bounding across the lawn. Hector sniffed at him and went on, but Hettie jumped up and licked his face a few times to show she was glad to see him. If Arthur had not been so near a tree, he might have fallen backward by the sudden weight of the big dog. He learned right then why Grandfather had warned Hector to be careful of the Children, "Grandfather should have warned, Hettie, too," he thought.

It was the first time the children had explored on their own around the farm. They felt happy because Grandfather trusted them. The dinner bell tinkled before they even thought of being hungry.

During dinner, Grandfather told Ardath and Arthur about the letter he had received from their parents. He pulled it from his shirt pocket and read a part of it.

"Knowing that Ardath and Arthur feel secure and safe with you, we can devote our energies most efficiently to the business at hand", Father wrote.

Mother had also added to the letter, "Tell the children we may be able to spend a day with them at Beverly Farm, if Father can finish his business in record time." Both Mother and Father said they missed the children very much and hoped the children were not missing them as much.

"That will be very nice to have Father and Mother stay with us here on the farm a day before we need to go back home." Ardath imagined. While she was having a very pleasant time, she always felt like running to tell Mother something she had discovered or learned, when it was a new experience. This showed that Ardath loved her mother, very much.

"I'm going to show Father and Mother how I can balance the wheelbarrow." Arthur boasted.

"But you didn't wheel it, you only held it still.' Ardath reminded her brother.

Grandfather encouraged Arthur by saying. "You know, it is possible Arthur will learn to take a few steps balancing the wheelbarrow, by the time your parent get here."

"I bet I can." Arthur challenged himself and felt strong thinking about it.

When the children went out-of-doors with Grandfather after dinner, the shy had clouds in it. The sun was almost hidden as a big cloud floated over it.

Grandfather looked at the darkening sky. "It looks like we will have rain, tonight", he said. "I should get more hoeing done. If it rains on these tiny weeds, they will be a foot high before the ground dries off."

"I'll help you." Arthur offered.

"Fine! I'll be glad for your help." Grandfather graciously accepted Arthur's offer to help him "You may get a hoe from the implement shed. You know where we keep them."

Arthur ran off eagerly. When he had helped Grandfather in the vegetable garden, grandfather had gotten the hoe for Arthur. Arthur was glad he could get a hoe for himself. This was more evidence that grandfather trusted him.

While he was gone, Grandfather surprised Ardath with a question. "How would you like to pick some flowers for the living room?" he asked.

"Oh, may I, Grandfather?" Ardath jumped up and down in her eagerness. When Grandfather smiled, she added, "Thank you very much for saying I may pick flowers."

Grandfather led her to a clump of sweet rocket in a corner of the flower garden. "Mix the white, purple and pink ones and break the stems long for the fireplace bouquet." Grandfather showed her how they should look as he picked one of each color. "They are like the rose stems, very brittle now because of plenty of rain this spring. The stems will break, easily."

By the time Arthur came back with his hoe, Ardath had picked an armful of sweet rocket. She buried her nose in the clusters of blossoms and breathed deeply. She thought she must remember to tell Mother how she can pick a bouquet and not just pull the heads off as she had done when she was a toddler

"When you think the bouquet is big enough, you may take it into the house. Miss Mary will show you how to dispose of the wilting peonies, get fresh water and put the sweet rocket in their place." Grandfather directed.

Ardath followed directions and thought the basket of flowers in front of the fireplace opening was the most beautiful she had ever seem. It seemed so lovely because she had not only picked them, but helped to arrange them. Grandfather had grown the flowers in his garden. That made them very special, too. The little girl walked back and forth in front of the basket of flowers, admiring them and wondering at the new brightness in the room.
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