day was
Polly's birthday, and, as the weather was fine, her brother had told her
to follow him out to the orchard.

Ned fastened his camera on its three sprawling legs, while Polly tried
to gather her pets around her. But by this time Blackie, the cat, was
chasing a squirrel (though he did not catch him), and Banty, the hen,
was away off scratching for worms; and Gyp, the dog, was barking at a
bossy calf down by the brook, for, of course, Polly's pets did not know
it was her birthday and that they were to have their pictures taken with
her.

Polly called, as loud as she could, "Here, Blackie, Blackie; here,
Banty, Banty; here, Gyp, Gyp," and as quick as a wink the animals came
running up to her.

At first she sat down, but all three of her pets got in her lap until
you could scarcely see Polly behind them. That would not do, of course,
because it was Polly's picture that was the most important.

Finally, she stood up and made her pets stand up, too. Then she had more
trouble, for Gyp wanted to stand next to her, and so did Banty, and so
did Blackie, but she told them if they were not good and did not stand
just where she put them, they could not have their pictures taken at
all. She even said she would get the little pig that could not find his
way home, and would have her picture taken with _him_. They did not like
that, so they promised to be good. She stood Banty on one side of her,
and Gyp on the other side, and then she put Blackie on one end next to
Banty. But Gyp and Blackie jumped around so lively that Brother Ned ran
into the house and brought out Polly's toy cow, and stood her next to
Blackie, and that kept _him_ quiet, because he was afraid the cow would
hook him with her horns--he did not know it was not a _real_ cow. Then
Ned brought out Polly's toy lion and put him next to Gyp, and that kept
_him_ quiet, because he thought the lion would eat him up,--he did not
know it was not a _real_ lion.

So, after they were all nice and quiet, Ned called out:

"Ready! Look pleasant! One, two, three--all over!"

And here is the way they looked in the picture that Ned took that
morning:

[Illustration]

IDLE BEN

Idle Ben was a naughty boy
(If you please, this story's true),
He caused his teachers great annoy,
And his worthy parents, too.

Idle Ben, in a boastful way
To his anxious parents told
That while he was young he thought he'd play,
And he'd le