at some show or other? And why do they each have a different
color?"

"They mane," said Mrs. Kirk proudly, standing with her hands upon
her hips and her face fairly beaming, "they mane as how they're to be
presinted to you three children. The red is for Master Rudolph, the
white is for Miss Mabel, and the blue is for you, Miss Tattine."

"Oh, Mrs. Kirk!" the three children exclaimed, with delight, and Mabel
added politely, "But do you really think you can spare them, Mrs. Kirk?"

"Why, of course she can! can't you, Mrs. Kirk?" cut in Rudolph warmly,
for the idea of relinquishing such a splendid gift was not for a moment
to be thought of. "I wonder how we can get them home," he added, by way
of settling the matter.

"Indade, thin, and I have this foine crate ready to go right in the back
of your cart," and there, to be sure, was a fine sort of cage with a
board top and bottom and laths at the sides, while other laths were
lying ready to be nailed into place after the geese should have been
stowed away within it. The children were simply wild over this addition
to their separate little sets of live-stock, and although the whole
day was delightful, there was all the while an almost impatient looking
forward to the supreme moment when they should start for home with those
beautiful geese in their keeping. And at last it came.

"I wonder if my goose will be a little lonely," said Tattine, as they
all stood about, watching Patrick nail on the laths.

"Faith and it will thin," said Mrs. Kirk. "It never came to my moind
that they wouldn't all three be together. Here's little Grey-wing to
keep Blue-ribbon company," and Mrs. Kirk seized one of the smaller geese
that happened to be near her, and squeezed it into the cage through the
small opening that was left.

"Well, if you can spare it, I think that is better, Mrs. Kirk, because
everything has a companion over at our place. We have two cats,
two pairs of puppies, two little bay horses, and two greys, and two
everything, but as there's only one of me I am friends with them all--"

"Bless your heart, but I'm glad you thought to mintion it," and then
Patrick and Mrs. Kirk gave each little extended hand a hearty shake, and
the children--declaring over and over that "they had a lovely time and
were so much obliged for the geese"--climbed into the cart and set off
for home.

"I'd go the short cut by the ford," advised Patrick; "it looks like we
might get a shower by sunset.