It was past ten when she rose to shut up the house.

As she paused a minute to enjoy the lovely scene from the steps, something white caught her eye on one of the hay-cocks scattered over the lawn.
The children had been playing there all the afternoon, and, fancying that Nan had left her hat as usual, Mrs.Bhaer went out to get it.

But as she approached, she saw that it was neither hat nor handkerchief, but a shirt sleeve with a brown hand sticking out of it.

She hurried round the hay-cock, and there lay Dan, fast asleep.
Ragged, dirty, thin, and worn-out he looked; one foot was bare, the other tied up in the old gingham jacket which he had taken from his own back to use as a clumsy bandage for some hurt.

He seemed to have hidden himself behind the hay-cock, but in his sleep had thrown out the arm that had betrayed him.