CHAPTER IV.

THE UNITED STATES IN A PASTURE.

DURING the hot August days the children often escaped to the shade of the Grove, where they ensconced themselves in the Gorge by the side of Samson's Nut Cracker, - huge boulder on which the oak-trees dropped acorns, and told stories, or played at tea-party or Indians. It was here, too, that they told each other their secrets. Whenever one of them had a specially cherished secret to impart to another, the two would crawl into the deepest recess of the Gorge, and then the mysterious thing would be decanted from one little pitcher into the other. Phippy usually unburdened herself of her secret before she could get to the Grove, but after the evening when they had heard so much about Walter Scott, she maintained a most absorbed air, and the next day before breakfast was seen running from one part of Roseland to another as if she were bewitched.

"What can Phip be about!" said Nathan, as the little girl came running up through the grapery. "I should think she was

playing tag with the trees, for she has been running from one to another ever since I have watched her."

"Perhaps she has been giving them some new names,' said Lucy.

"She could n't. There are no more States, but there are ever so many more trees, at least, if you count the little ones." "She had a secret, you know, last night."

"Well, I don't think that's much of a secret, to go round and

play tag with the trees." The breakfast bell rang, and scarcely had breakfast begun, before Phippy jumped up again, ran out, made a little bow, and said :

"Those who will come to the Gorge after breakfast may have a piece of my secret."

"Oh, tell it now, Phippy," said her cousin. "It will be too hot to go down to the Gorge."

"No, it won't, and you really must come, Cousin Ned, because we shall need you. Come, and I'll make you some iced lemonade."

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Oh, I should n't want it so soon after breakfast. But I tell you, Phippy, if it is a real good secret, and you will tell it to me on top of Samson's Nut Cracker, I'll go, but it's too hot to be dragged into the Gorge." So after breakfast the three children went off to the Grove, and Ned Adams sauntered along under an umbrella a little later. He found Nathan and Lucy already in possession of the secret.

"Is it a good one?" he asked, critically.

"First rate," said Nathan.

"Worth climbing upon the Nut Cracker to hear?" "Yes, indeed," said Lucy.

"Well, bring the ladder," said the lazy fellow. The ladder was a board with cleats nailed to it, which was left in the Secret Chamber, as it was called, of the Gorge, and when it was pulled out it was laid against the rock, and the whole party climbed by it to the top of the big Nut Cracker. There was room for all and a little to spare.

Bring the secret up too, Phippy, if there is room."

"Now, Cousin Ned, you are not to make fun of my secret.

I've a great mind not to tell you; but then we want your knife," she added, reflecting.

"Oh ho, I'm to do something, am I?"

"Now listen, and I'll tell you. When mamma was reading about Walter Scott, and how he meant to make a set of chessmen, I had a sudden thought, and I could scarcely think of anything else. I ran out this morning, just as soon as I was dressed, to see if it would do, and it would."

"Took your thought out an airing? Did you put it in the wheelbarrow?"

"But can't you guess, Cousin Ned? I've given you lots of hints. Think a moment."

"Oh, it's too hot to think. Out with it."

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Upon my word! but how could I, Phippy. You had told him before I had got here."

"Oh, I told him right after breakfast. I could n't wait to come here."

"But I don't know what my happy guess means. Checkers? checkers? Do you want to make some?"

"That's it! We want to make a set for papa out of what do you think?"

"Buttons?"

"No. Guess again."

"Clamshells from every State in the Union?"

"Oh, but you could n't. There are no clamshells in Kentucky."

"Yes, there are, lots of them. The annual consumption of clams in Kentucky is several bushels, according to the last census."

"Now, Ned, you know you know, and you're only teasing us. But I'm going to tell you. I won't have you guessing my secret. We're going to cut a limb off each State and make a set of checkers for papa. What do you think of that?" "But there are thirty-one States, and you only need twentyfour checkers." 1

"We're going to leave out some," said Nathan. Pennsylvania, for one."

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"That old

"Under which William Penn signed the treaty," said Lucy.

Why, Nathan, never!" It is, perhaps, time to explain that the children had taken it into their heads some time before to name thirty-one trees which stood in the grove and orchard after the thirty-one States, and Nathan had carved the initial of each State in the bark of its appropriate tree. They had taken them in a rough sort of relation to each other. The Atlantic coast was represented by the outside fourteen trees in the grove, and the inland States were scattered about in a somewhat confused way. One of their games was to make journeys across the country, visiting each other in remote sections, and a long emigrant train, consisting of the three children with carts laden with household goods from Lucy's doll-house, accompanied by Nep and the kitten, who also sometimes played the part of buffaloes or wolves, fre

1 There were only thirty-one States, good reader, when the children were talking. Have not the children grown up since then?