with father now. I wonder
what's up. Bet they're going to settle the whole business right away."

The children listened until they heard the others go into the sitting
room and carefully close the door behind them--hot weather as it was.

Ernest laughed when the door clicked.

"Family council--children and dogs and neighbors please keep out.
They'll talk till dinner time. I'm going over to see Sherm."

Jane waited round a while expectantly, studying over the wonderful
possibility of moving but finally got tired and went to Halford's.

When she came home to dinner the sitting-room door was still closed and
a steady murmur of voices could be heard.

Olga rang the bell for dinner twice before that closed door was opened.

Chicken Little eyed them curiously as they filed out. Her father looked
eager and excited, but her mother's eyes were red as if she had been
crying again.

Dr. Morton put his arm around Chicken Little as she passed her and drew
her tenderly to him.

"How would you like to go and live on a farm, Humbug, where you could
have chickens and calves and ponies to play with? It would put more
color into your face I'll be bound."

"Could I have a pony, Father, all my own?"

Dr. Morton nodded.

"Gee, wouldn't that be fun?"

"Jane," said Mrs. Morton severely, "how often have I told you that
little ladies do not use slang?

"You seem to be planning to let the children run wild when they get out
to Kansas," she added, turning to Dr. Morton, "but I will have them use
correct English."

It did not take the news that the Mortons were moving to Kansas, long to
spread in the small town. Visitors flocked in to sympathize with Mrs.
Morton over going to a new country, and Dr. Morton's friends and
patients stopped him on the street to express their regret at losing
him.

There were still many things to be arranged before they could set a date
for their departure. Their chief concern was the home. Frank had been
fortunate enough to sell his pretty cottage, but the old-fashioned
gabled house with its wistaria vines and terraced lawns, was not so easy
to dispose of. Dr. Morton hoped to rent it for a year or two until he
could sell it. He was most anxious that they should all accompany Frank
and Marian to the new home in September.

One afternoon as Chicken Little was coming leisurely up the walk with
Katy and Gertie, Mrs. Morton called from the window:

"Hurry up, Chickabiddy, there is somebody here you wou