And as they ran and raced, the little black people plucked the wild flowers, and called to the cattle and the sheep and the dogs, and whistled to the linnets that whistled to their young.
Thus the hours went on unheeded.

The afternoon passed into evening, the evening into twilight, the twilight into early night.

Then the air grew empty like a vault, and a solemn quiet fell upon the children, and they crept to Naomi's side in fear, and took her hands and clung to her gown.

She turned back towards the town, and as they walked in the double silence of their own hushed tongues and the songless and voiceless world, the fingers of the little ones closed tightly upon her own.
Then the children cried in terror, "See!" "What is it ?" said Naomi.
The little ones could not tell her.

It was only the noiseless summer lightning, but the children had never seen it before.