GRANDMA'S ATTIC SERIES Read Online Free Page B

send someone after us."
    "I hope He doesn't send Roy." I sighed. "He'd never let us forget it. Do you suppose we better add to the prayer that we'd rather have Pa come?"
    "I'm so hungry I don't care who He sends," Sarah Jane whined. "Anyone would look good to me right now."
    It seemed like we sat on that log for hours. We sang all the songs we knew, and recited all the poems we had learned. As the shadows lengthened in the woods, it became harder to sit still, rather than trying to find our way out.
    "Do you suppose we better remind God that we're still here?" Sarah Jane asked.
    "I don't think we need to. I'm sure He's already told our folks where we are."
    "I wish they would hurry up and come then," Sarah Jane said. "It must be almost night."
    Finally both of us fell asleep. The next thing we knew we were being picked up in strong arms and carried toward the exhibit grounds.
    "I knew you'd come," I said to Pa. "We asked the Lord to send someone. Did He tell you where to find us?"
    "Yes, I'm sure He did," Pa replied. "And I'm glad you remembered to stay in one place."
    "Pa," I said, "I'm sorry I didn't pray this morning. I won't ever do that again."
    Pa hugged me, and I knew he had forgiven me. Soon we were back with our families. Were we surprised to find out that we had only been gone for about two hours!
    "Girls!" Roy said in disgust. "They don't even know which way is which!"
    "We do so!" I retorted. "It's just that the trees all look alike, and this is a strange woods."
    "I'm glad the Lord was watching over you girls," Ma said. "If He doesn't, there's not much hope for either of you, I'm
    afraid." '
    We ate dinner, and spent the rest of the day close to Ma. Even though the Lord knew where we were, I was certainly glad we could pray that day!
     
The Stranger
    Grandma tapped on the kitchen window to signal that my lunch was ready.
    "Who was your little friend?" she asked as I came into the kitchen. "I saw you swinging with someone."
    "I don't know," I replied. "He followed me up the lane when I came from the mailbox, and we just started playing."
    "You know his name, don't you?"
    "No, I didn't ask him."
    Grandma looked surprised. "You played together all morning and didn't ask his name?"
    I shrugged. "I didn't have to call him for anything. He was right there. He didn't ask me my name, either."
    Grandma laughed and put the soup and homemade bread on the table. "I guess you're right. Names aren't as important as some other things you can know about a person. In fact, I can remember that our whole family did something like that once."
    "You did? Tell me about it."
    "It was right here on this farm," Grandma began "although this kitchen looked a lot different then. There was no electricity or running water, you know, and Ma had jus the wood stove to cook on."
    Early one fall, Ma and I went to the woods to gather nuts. It was a beautiful day, and we took our time getting back.
    When we got in sight of the house, Ma stopped and pointer toward the porch. "Now who could that be?"
    There was no buggy in the yard, nor was there a horse in sight.
    ' "Whoever it is must have walked," I said. "Unless someone brought him and went away again."
    By this time we could see that a rather elderly man was seated in Pa's chair, with an old black satchel beside him.
    His coat was folded over his knees, and he seemed quite comfortable.
    "Who is he, Ma? I can't remember seeing him before." "Neither do I," Ma said. "He must have come to see your Pa about something. Dear me. I wonder how long he's bee sitting there."
    We hurried across the yard. As we neared the porch, the man stood up and smiled.
    "I'm sorry we weren't here when you came," Ma said. I lave you been waiting long?"
    "Oh, no," he replied. "Just a few minutes. It's nice here in the sun. Been pretty frosty these nights, hasn't it?"
    "Yes, it has," Ma agreed. "Really fine weather for gathering nuts. Won't you come in, Mr....?"
    "Thank you, ma'am. Yes, I will." He picked up his satchel