from his sister to Katy, who
suddenly became self-conscious and tucked her feet and as much of her
trouser-clad legs as she could manage, underneath her.

Chicken Little gave a start of surprise, then faced Ernest boldly.

"Oh, just having a little fun."

By this time Ernest was beginning to grasp details. "Suppose next time
you start out to have fun you let my things alone. Isn't that Sherm's
best tie you've got on?"

Chicken Little clutched the offending tie and glanced hastily at Sherm.
The boy was regarding her with a peculiar expression, both admiring and
disapproving. There was no denying that Chicken Little made a most
attractive boy.

The swift color swept into the girl's face as she caught Sherm's glance.
"Oh, dear, and he had told her only that morning that girls should be
different!" She liked Sherm--she didn't want him to think she was a
bold, awful girl. Some way their prank seemed to need excusing. She
replied to the look in Sherm's eyes rather than to her brother's
accusation.

"We--I wanted to ride Caliph--I just knew I could if I didn't have a lot
of horrid skirts to frighten him. And we did beautiful stunts and we
couldn't, if we hadn't put on your old things. I bet if you had to wear
cluttering things like skirts all the time you'd be glad to take them
off some times, too." Chicken Little's big brown eyes sought Sherm's
appealingly.

Ernest answered before Sherm could say anything.

"Well, you can settle with Mother about the skirts, but I'll thank you
to let Caliph and my best ties alone."

"Did you ride him?" asked Sherm. "You're welcome to my tie, Chicken
Little. It's very becoming."

Chicken Little felt subtly consoled. "Yes, I rode him, but he threw me
once," she confessed.

"He threw me once, too," said the boy. "You'd better be a little
careful."

Sherm grinned and Chicken Little smiled back happily.

CHAPTER XII

DICK AND ALICE GO ON ALONE

Dr. and Mrs. Morton got home about four o'clock. The girls had studied
some time as to whether they should make a clean breast of the morning's
doings, but Ernest, urged on by Sherm, had discouraged them.

"You needn't be afraid I'll peach, Sis. You're an awful good rider for a
girl and I don't mind your taking Caliph so long as you didn't get hurt.
And I guess it was sensible of you not to try him with skirts. But you'd
better be careful. You're getting most too big for such tom boy
business."

"It wasn't anything really wro