VII. TREE MOTHER AND THE DROWSY BOAT
XI. THE BEAUTIFUL WICKED WITCH
XVIII. THE DEEPEST PLACE IN THE WOOD
That morning began no differently from any morning, though it was to bethe beginning of all things new for Eric. He was awakened early by Mrs.Freg's rough hand shaking him by the arm, and her rough voice in hisears: "Get up, lazy-bones! All you boys pile out, this very minute!It's six o'clock already!" Then she reached over Eric and shook theother two boys in the bed with him, repeating and repeating "Wake up,wake up! It's six o'clock already!" When she was sure the three boys inthe bed were awake and miserable, she crossed the room with a hurried,heavy tread and clumped, clumped down the stairs into the kitchen.
Though it happened just that way every morning, and it had happened sothis morning, this day was to be very different from any other in Eric'slife. But Eric could not know that; so he crawled farther down under thefew bedclothes he had managed to keep to himself, and shut his eyesagain just for a minute.
The night had been a cold one, and the other two boys in the bed,because they were older and stronger, had managed to keep most of thebedding wrapped tightly around them, while little Eric shivered on thevery edge. So he had not slept at all in the way little boys of nineusually sleep,—that is, when they have a bed to themselves, and theirmother has left a kiss with them. When he had slept, he had dreamed hewas wading in icy puddles out in the street.
But it was only a minute that he huddled there, trying to come reallyawake, and then he sprang out, and without thought of a bath, was intohis clothes in a minute. The two older boys followed him more slowly,yawning, growling, and quarreling.
Breakfast was served in the kitchen by Mrs. Freg. The room was bare andugly like the rest of the house, and the food was far from satisfying.As the older boys got mos