"Now you, Jim, drive that there cow over to Sam's, and if you dare
bring her back agin, I'll hide yer with the flail till yer can't
stand up."

"Me drive that lookin' circus over to Sam's?" sneered Jim. "I'll
quit yer place first. Yer kin do it yerself;" and the hired man
turned on his lordly heel and slouched over to the barn.

"That'll be the best way, Billy," urged Sam's mother. "Do it
yourself."

"I'll do it too," old Billy growled. "I ain't afraid of no dog on
four legs. Git on there, bossy! Git on, I say!" and the ridiculous
cavalcade started forth.

For a moment Martha Norris watched the receding figure through
blinding tears. "Oh, Sammy, I'm going to have you back again! I'm
going to have my boy once more!" she half sobbed. Then sitting down
on the doorsill, she laughed like a schoolgirl until the cow with
her extraordinary burden, and old Billy in her wake, disappeared up
the road. [This incident actually occurred on an Ontario farm
within the circle of the author's acquaintance.]

From the pillow, pretty Della could just see out of the low window,
and her wide young eyes grew wider with amazement as the gate swung
open and the "circus," as Jim called it, entered.

"Sammy!" she called, "Sammy! For goodness sake, what's that coming
into our yard?"