industriously digging the potatoes.

Bugsey, for he was the early little bird, ran back into
the house screaming:

"She's robbed us! She's robbed us! and tuk our fence."

The Watson family gathered as quickly as a fire brigade
at the sound of the gong, but in the scramble for garments
some were less fortunate than others. Wee Tommy, who was
a little heavier sleeper than the others, could find
nothing to put on but one overshoe and an old chest
protector of his mother's, but he arrived at the front,
nevertheless. Tommy was not the boy to desert his family
for any minor consideration such as clothes.

Mrs. McGuire leaned on her hoe and nonchalantly regarded
the gathering forces. She had often thought out the scene,
and her air of indifference was somewhat overdone.

The fence was on her ground, so it was, and so were two
rows of the potatoes. She could do what she liked with
her own, so she could. She didn't ask them to plant
potatoes on her ground. If they wanted to stand there
gawkin' at her, they wur welcome. She always did like
comp'ny; but she was afraid the childer would catch cowld,
they were dressed so loight for so late in the season.
She picked up the last pailful as she spoke, and retired
into her own house, leaving the Watson family to do the
same.