oards and things."

"I know it is, and I know I'm requiring a great deal of you, but I think
in the end you will see why," returned her father.

"Have we many little chicks to go in it. I mean will there be a great
many?"

Mr. Dallas and Mr. Coulter glanced at each other and smiled; then Mr.
Dallas said, "It might be a good plan to go to the barn and see how old
Speckle is getting on. Her time is about up, so perhaps we'll find some
little chicks. I'll carry you there on my back."

"And maybe we'll find some eggs," spoke up Florence, who dearly liked to
hunt eggs. "We found two yesterday. Indeed, uncle, I think you do need
more hens, for auntie said yesterday that she didn't get all the eggs
she wanted."

They found old Speckle ready to be quite flustered when they took her
off the nest, for they found that four little chicks were already
hatched, and the shells of several other eggs were chipped.

Mr. Dallas gave the children each two of the little chicks to carry up
to the house, that they might be kept safely till Speckle came off with
the rest of the brood, and Bubbles, who had followed them, trotted along
behind with her hands full of the eggs they were fortunate enough to
find.

The new building was begun at once, and Dimple found it hard to keep
away from it, but she resolutely stuck to her promise. One day, to be
sure, she did not venture nearer than usual, but suddenly she exclaimed
in a loud voice, "Get thee hence, satan!" and turning ran directly into
Bubbles who, as usual, had followed her.

"What dat yuh call me, Miss Dimple," exclaimed Bubbles, in an aggrieved
tone.

"You! Oh, I wasn't talking to you."

This seemed rather a lame excuse to Bubbles, since no one else was near.
"Yass 'm, yuh is call me sumpin'," she insisted. "Dey ain't nobody
else."

"There was somebody else," Dimple replied, with dignity. "And don't you
contradict me. I reckon I know what I'm talking about better than you
do."

This puzzled Bubbles, but it also silenced her, although she looked
furtively around to see where Dimple's hidden acquaintance might be;
that somebody else to whom she spoke so defiantly. "Hit's dat no 'count
little niggah Jim, I'll be bound," she muttered, under her breath. "He
done shy a stone at the de birds and dat mek Miss Dimple mad. She don't
'low nobody 'buse de birds." Thus settling the matter, she cheerfully
smiled when Dimple gave her a glance, and Dimple laughed. Then she stood
still.