“Ma! Pa!” she shouted as loud as she could. “Come quick!”

Idy’s and Jacob’s head jerked in her direction. Fay raised her fist to them. “You’re in for it now!” she hollered running toward them.

“What’s she so cross about?” Jacob asked.

Idy’s eyes and mouth formed perfect Os. “She must have seen the carrot.”

Jacob looked alarmed. “W-what are we going to do?”

Fay reached them before Idy could answer. Her face was pink and her breathing fast.

She grabbed Idy’s arm and shook her. “Give me the carrot.”

Idy licked her lips. There was no way out of this predicament. “Fay please I—”

Fay tightened her grasp. “Ma! Pa! Out here. Quick!”

“Please Fay” Idy pleaded.

Fay laughed. “I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this for a long time. Just wait until Pa finds out. Idy’s going to be taught a lesson she’ll never forget! Ma! Pa!”

Idy bit down hard on her bottom lip. She wouldn’t give Fay the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

Jacob’s eyes were wild. “Don’t call them… here.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out the offending carrot. “I’m the one who took it.”

Fay instantly released her grasp and Idy fell to the frozen ground.

“N-no Fay he didn’t take it. I-I did.”

“That’s not true” Jacob said. “You know I swiped it from the barn.”

Idy shook her head. “Please Fay you have to believe me. He’s just trying to protect me. I found the carrot in the barn when I was gathering the eggs. I don’t know what overcame me I… I was hungry.”

Fay looked straight ahead. “It doesn’t matter who took it. Ma and Pa are coming. I’ll let them decide who gets the whipping but I sure hope it’s you Princess Idy!”

Idy hastily got to her feet as the two opposing figures approached.

“What’s all the screaming about?” Mr. Renard asked.

His wife snatched the carrot from Jacob’s hand. “Where did you get this?”

Fay smiled. “One of them took it from the barn.”

“You mean stole it.” Mrs. Renard said.

Mr. Renard grabbed the carrot. “Which one of you thieves stole it?”

“I did” Idy and Jacob said simultaneously.

Mr. Renard looked at his wife then at Fay. “Did you see who took it?”

“Idy did. I saw her do it.”

“I knew it!” Mrs. Renard pulled Idy roughly to her. “Get into the barn and wait for me.”

As frightened as Idy was she had spared Jacob a beating.

“No!” Mr. Renard said. “The boy will be punished.”

“Why Pa?” Fay said. “Idy stole it and she’ll steal again unless Ma beats some honesty into her.”

“No one asked you Fay.”

Mrs. Renard was upset. “It was the girl. Fay was a witness. Let me show her what happens to thieves.”