“Why it looks clean,” said Preston; “room and table and woman and all.”—­But Daisy still shook her head and was not to be persuaded; and Preston laughing went back to the house.  But presently he came out again bearing a tray in his hand, and brought it to Daisy.  On the tray was very nice looking brown and white bread, and milk and cheese and a platter of strawberries.  Preston got into the chaise and set the tray on his knees.  After him had come from the house a woman in a fly-away cap and short-gown.  She stood just inside the gate leaning her arms on it.  If she had not been there, perhaps Daisy would still have refused to touch the food; but she was afraid of offending or hurting the woman’s feelings; so first she tried a strawberry, and found it of rare flavour; for it was a wild one; then she broke a morsel of bread, and that was excellent.  Daisy discovered that breakfast in a pony chaise, out in the air, was a very fine thing.  So did Preston.

“So you’re agoin’ afishin’?” said the woman at the gate.

“Yes, ma’am,” Preston said.

“And that little one too?”

“Certainly.”

“I declare!  I never see nobody so little and gauzy as was willin’ to do such indelicate work!  But I shouldn’t wonder, now, if she was to catch some.  Fishes—­and all things—­is curious creeturs, and goes by contrairies.”

“Hope they won’t to-day!” said Preston, who was eating strawberries and bread and milk at a great rate.

“Where’s the rest of your party?” the woman went on.

“We’re all here, ma’am,” said Preston.

“Well, I see a horse there that haint nobody on top of him?”

“I was on top of him a little while ago,” said Preston.

“Well, I expect that little creetur haint druv herself?”

“Drove the pony, anyhow,” said Preston.  “Now, ma’am, what do we owe you, besides thanks, for your excellent hospitality?”

“I reckon you don’t owe me much,” said the woman, as Preston got out of the chaise.  “You can set the tray in there on the table, if you’re a mind to.  We always calculate to set a good meal, and we’re allowed to; but we don’t never calculate to live by it and we’ve no dispensary.  There’s only my husband and me, and there’s a plenty for more than us.”

Preston had handed the tray to Sam to carry in, and as soon as he could get a chance bade good morning, and went forward with Daisy.  On foot now they took their way to the woods, and presently plunged into them.  It was very pleasant under the deep shade, for the sun had grown warm, and there was hardly air enough to flutter the leaves in the high branches.  But Daisy and Preston pushed on briskly, and soon the gurgle of the brook gave its sweet sound to their ears.  They followed up the stream then, over stones and rocks, and crossing from side to side on trunks of trees that had fallen across the water; till a part of the brook was reached far enough back among the hills to be wild and lonely; where the trout might be supposed to be having a good time.