ose he does," agreed the stage manager. "But you have to
recite a piece in the play, George, and your rooster might start to crow
when you were reciting."

"That would make me laugh," said George, with a smile, "and I couldn't
pucker up my mouth to whistle, and I have to do that in my piece."

"Then I guess we had better not have the rooster in the play," said Mr.
Treadwell. "But since you have brought him we'll let him stay for the
practice, and we'll see how he behaves. He certainly would be good in
the barnyard scene, and make it quite natural, but I'm afraid he'll crow
at the wrong time."

"And did you really think George had a little baby brother in the
basket?" asked Sue, as the rooster was being shut up again.

"Yes, I really did," said Mr. Treadwell. "But now everybody get ready!
The rehearsal will begin in a minute."

It took a little while for all the boys and girls to find their right
places. Their mothers or big sisters were, in most cases, on hand ready
to help them, to see that this little girl's dress was buttoned up the
back, that her hair ribbon was prettily tied and that the little boys
had their hair combed as it ought to be.

But at last everything was finished, and the stage was set for the first
scene, that of the meadow. Everything was to go on just as if it was the
real play--the scenery, the lights, the curtain being raised and
lowered, and everything.

Out in front were the mothers, the big sisters, with, here and there, an
occasional father of the children who were taking part. This was the
audience. Of course this audience didn't pay anything, but Bunny, Sue,
and the others who were getting up the play, hoped a large throng would
come Christmas afternoon, when the real play would be given.

I must not tell you, here, how the rehearsal went, for it was so like
the play that if I set down all that took place I wouldn't have anything
left to tell you about the main performance. All I will say is that
after the meadow scene came the one in the barnyard.

"Now if the Peter rooster will crow right this will be a good scene,"
said Mr. Treadwell.

Well, the scene was all right--at least at first. Bunny and Sue did
their parts well, and so did the other children. The people sitting in
front of the footlights--which glowed as brightly as they would in the
real performance--said the show was going on finely. And Peter crowed
just at the right time, too, without any one telling him to.

"Tha