d never hurt
her in the least. She was stuffed with nice soft cotton, you see.

So, there she sat until a tiny little humming-bird, in search of flower
honey hummed close to Raggedy Ann's head and hovered near the tall
Hollyhocks.

Raggedy Ann turned her rag head to see the humming-bird and lost her
balance--_plump!_ she went, down amongst the chickens.

The chickens scattered in all directions, all except Old Ironsides, the
rooster.

He ruffled his neck feathers and put his head down close to the ground,
making a queer whistling noise as he looked fiercely at Raggedy Ann.

But Raggedy Ann only smiled at Old Ironsides, the rooster, and ran her
rag hand through her yarn hair for she did not fear him.

And then something strange happened, for when she made this motion the
old rooster jumped up in the air and kicked his feet out in front,
knocking Raggedy Ann over and over.

When Raggedy Ann stopped rolling she waved her apron at the rooster and
cried, "Shoo!" but instead of "shooing," Old Ironsides upset her again.

Now, two old hens who had been watching the rooster jump at Raggedy ran
up and as one old hen placed herself before the rooster, the other old
hen caught hold of Raggedy's apron and dragged her into the
chicken-coop.

It was dark inside and Raggedy could not tell what was going on as she
felt herself being pulled up over the nests.

But, finally Raggedy could sit up, for the old hen had quit pulling her,
and as her shoe-button eyes were very good, she soon made out the shape
of the old hen in front of her.

"My! that's the hardest work I have done in a long time!" said the old
hen, when she could catch her breath. "I was afraid Mr. Rooster would
tear your dress and apron!"

"That was a queer game he was playing, Mrs. Hen," said Raggedy Ann.

The old hen chuckled 'way down in her throat, "Gracious me! He wasn't
playing a game, he was fighting you!"

"Fighting!" cried Raggedy Ann in surprise.

"Oh yes, indeed!" the old hen answered, "Old Ironsides, the rooster,
thought you intended to harm some of the children chickens and he was
fighting you!"

"I am sorry that I fell inside the pen, I wouldn't harm anything,"
Raggedy Ann said.

"If we tell you a secret you must promise not to tell your mistress!"
said the old hens.

"I promise! Cross my candy heart!" said Raggedy Ann.

Then the two old hens took Raggedy Ann 'way back in the farthest corner
of the chicken coop. There, in back of a box,