She hid her two baskets in the bushes, and then directed the children to go up into the field with her and get the strawberries.

The strawberries were not only very abundant, but also very large and ripe.

Mary Erskine said that they might all eat ten, but no more.

All that they got, except ten, they must put into their dippers, until the dippers were full.
She herself went busily at work, finding strawberries and putting them into the dippers of the children, sometimes into one and sometimes into another.

In a short time the dippers were full.
The whole party then went back to the brook and sat down upon the great flat stone, with their dippers before them.