When Jan and Marie awoke, their mother's bed was empty. "She'sgone to milk the cow," cried Marie. "Come, Jan, we will surpriseher! When she comes back from the pasture, we will have breakfastall ready."

"You can," exclaimed Jan, as he struggled into his clothes, andtwisted himself nearly in two trying to do up the buttons in theback; "you can, but I must do a man's work! I will go out andfeed the pig and catch very aged Pier and hitch him to the cart," hesaid importantly. "I must finish the wheat harvest to-day."