one was obstinate. Jane was getting
red in the face.

"The old hateful----I'll get it out or bust!"

"Perhaps I can help you, Chicken Little."

The girls glanced up in dismay. Sherm stood there grinning. He had come
back across lots.

"What you trying to do, anyhow? Have your pets been getting out?"

There was nothing to do but take Sherm into their confidence.

"Please promise you won't tell, Sherm--they'd tease me to death if they
know. But we're sick of those pigs. I never want to lay eyes on a pig
again. So we thought we'd just loosen a stone so they could get into the
corral with the others and Father'd think they'd dug out themselves.
Nobody can ever pick 'em out from the others. They are every bit as big
as old Whity's pigs and Father turned them in two weeks ago."

Sherm chuckled. "Mum's the word. Hand over the pick and we'll do such an
artistic job that the porkers themselves will think they are responsible
for the whole business. I don't blame you. That's not girl's work!"

The pigs rose to the occasion beautifully. The tiny opening called as
loudly as a pile of corn. They continued the excavating so promptly and
expeditiously that by the time Dr. Morton returned from town, every
piglet had deserted its maternal ancestor and was joyously rooting for
itself in the corral.

"I don't see how those pigs got out," said Dr. Morton disgustedly. "I
thought that small pen was secure."

The girls listened attentively.

"They were there at four o'clock, I saw them," Sherm remarked.

"Oh, I suppose the heavy rain loosened the earth and it was easy
rooting."

"Possibly," said Sherm.

The incident might have awakened more interest if the Doctor had not
returned, bringing a fateful letter. The long-expected letter from
Senator Pratt had come. He would be most happy to give Ernest the
appointment immediately, if he thought he could pass the mental
examinations. An extra examination was to be held on the 30th at
Annapolis. He was sending a catalogue and some special literature as to
the ground to be covered, by the same mail. He would, however, recommend
that Ernest go immediately to some reputable physician and see if he
could pass the physical examination. They had a naval surgeon there in
Topeka, if he cared to incur the expense of a visit to the Capital.

Ernest was so busy poring over the catalogue that he could hardly be
induced to stop long enough to eat his supper.

"I'm more afraid of the mathemati