epening flush on his
cheeks. The squire leaned forward with a hand on each knee, and
listened attentively.

"Well," he said, "that seems a good plan. Where's the farm to be? In
the vicarage garden?"

"Father wouldn't like that," said Roger.

"Why, possibly not," said the squire; "you see it's not always nice to
have cattle and pigs too close to a house. But I tell you what; you
know that little field of mine near the church, I'm wanting to let that
off, how would that do?"

"It would be just the very thing," said Roger, "but," he added
reflectively, "we couldn't afford to give you much for it."

"You must talk it over with Ben," said the squire rising, "it's not an
expensive little bit of land, and I should say about ten shillings a
year would be about the right price. And now, boys, you must start for
home--as it is you won't be there much before dark."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The co-operative plan began very well indeed. Roger and Gabriel, with a
little assistance and advice from their eldest brother Ben, built a
capital sty on Squire Dale's little bit of land, which was conveniently
near the vicarage, and soon, behold them the proud possessors of a sow
and nine black pigs! The boys' pride and pleasure were immense, and
nothing could exceed their care and attention to the mother and her
children; perhaps these were overdone, which may account for the tragic
event which shortly took place.

The little pigs were about two weeks old, very "peart" and lively, and
everything was proceeding in a satisfactory manner, when one morning
Gabriel went to visit them as usual with a pail of food. As he neared
the sty, he heard, instead of the low "choug, choug, choug," to which he
was accustomed, nothing but a chorus of distressed little squeaks. He
quickened his steps; his heart beat very fast; he looked over the edge
of the sty, and, oh horror! The sow was stretched flat on her side
quite dead, while her black family squeaked and struggled and poked at
each other with their little pointed snouts.

Quick as lightning he grasped the situation, and throwing down the pail
which he held rushed back to the house, almost stunning Roger, whom he
met on the way, with the dreadful news. There was no time to be lost--
if the pigs were to be saved they must be fed at once. In hot haste the
boys returned with a wheel-barrow, put the seven little creatures into
it, for t