n Little was dropping off to sleep that night, Katy roused
her.

"Do you suppose we'll get as much as five dollars apiece from those
pigs?"

CHAPTER VIII

A PARTY AND A PICNIC

Gertie looked wistful. Dick and Alice were going on to Denver that
morning to return a month later for the little girls. All three were to
drive into town with Dr. Morton to see them off. The mere thought of
anyone going away made Gertie a little homesick. She went out to the
chicken yard, where nine of the young prairie chickens were flourishing
under the care of a much-deceived hen, who had adopted them with the
mistaken notion that they were her own egg kin. The little mottled
things seemed very much out of place among the domestic fowls. They were
wild and shy and astonishingly fleet on their reed-like legs. Gertie
loved to watch them. Two of the chicks had died the first night, and
one, two days later. But the rest survived, and, in the course of time,
flew away to join their wild mates.

"Dear me, I wonder what we can do next?" said Chicken Little, as they
watched the train pull out with Dick waving from the rear platform.

Dick's and Alice's going seemed to have finished things, at least for
the time being. Her question was answered as soon as she got home.

"Jane," said her mother, "I have just received an invitation for you and
the girls that I am a little doubtful about. Ernest and Sherm are
invited, too, but not to remain for the night."

"Stay all night? Where, Mother, where?"

"With Mamie Jenkins. The Jenkins family are hardly as refined as I could
wish for your associates; still they are good religious people, if they
are plain, and Katy and Gertie might enjoy going to a country party."

"A party? O Mother, please let us go."

"I don't mind so much your coming to the party, but they want to have
you stay overnight and attend a picnic some of the young people are
getting up for the next afternoon."

Katy was as eager as Jane for the festivity and Mrs. Morton was at
length persuaded to pocket her scruples and permit the girls to accept
Mamie's invitation. Ernest and Sherm were also delighted at the prospect
of a frolic. They were to take the girls over and leave them for the
night, returning the next afternoon for the picnic, which was to start
from the Jenkin's farm.

But when the day of the party arrived, Gertie backed out, begging to be
left at home with Mrs. Morton. The thought of meeting so many strangers