She had her house-work, her school-work, and also her basket-making, and she worked very hard indeed at the last, for by means of it she was able to buy many little comforts for "Aunt Martha," as she had learnt to call Mrs.Perry, and was able to clothe herself, and put something by in the bank.

At least, she hoped to be able to go on doing that, if the orders came in as they had done.
"When I leave school I shall have ever so much more time, too," she thought, joyfully,--for Huldah did not love school, and longed for the time when she would be freed from it.
In the middle of the field rose a high hillock, over which the young lambs loved to run and play in the spring-time, and on the top of the hillock lay the trunk of a large tree, which had lain there ever since a storm had blown it down years ago.
Huldah, at any rate, was glad of the idleness which had never put the tree to any good use, for it formed her favourite seat now.

The view from it was lovely, she could look right down over the slope of the hill to the woods and stream at the foot, and then away up over the moorland beyond, and she could see the road, too, and keep watch over the cottage, and if Aunt Martha wanted her, she had only to step to the door and wave her hand.
Sometimes during that summer she got Mrs.Perry up to the fallen tree too, and more than once they had their tea there.

But Mrs.Perry was not very fond of sitting out of doors, and more often Huldah was alone, save for Dick, alone with her thoughts and hopes and dreams.
That summer was a long and hot one, with frequent heavy thunderstorms.

Mrs.Perry could not endure the storms, they made her feel ill, and frightened her, until all her nerves were set quivering.