; I must see." With that he flapped his great red wings
and flew up on the side of the pan.

Now Red Chief was a heavy rooster and the pan was not very firm. Down
tumbled the pan and Red Chief together. The make-believe cream and milk
went all over him. Such a wet, cross, disgusted rooster you never saw!
"Too-ok, too-ok, too-ok," he croaked, as he shook the soapsuds from his
feathers. Then away he marched, scolding to himself about little girls
who played silly games.

One afternoon the children were out in the orchard playing "lady." Mary
and Betty were the mothers in the game. Peggy and Dot were the
children.

Betty had on a long skirt and a fine grown-lady's hat. Mary had a scarf
trailing on the ground instead of a long skirt, and she carried her
mother's very best umbrella. It was a bright red one that could be used
for sun as well as rain. It made Mary feel very grown-up indeed. The two
"play" families made their homes under the trees. They paid visits back
and forth. They gave tea parties. The children had measles and mumps and
were put to bed on the grass with leaf plasters over their faces.

Mary was Mrs. Ray and Dot was her little daughter, Lily.

At last Mrs. Ray sent Lily to the meadow to buy some flowers. Dot danced
gaily away. Just as she was gathering the flowers, a bright, blue
butterfly lighted near her and then flew a little farther on. He seemed
to be inviting her to race with him. So off Dot started.

Her fat little legs seemed to twinkle over the grass, but the butterfly
went faster still. Away he flew across the pasture, away over the fence
into the next lot. Dot paused only a minute, then she slipped under the
wire of the fence and followed. On and on she went. She did not notice
where she was going. But the butterfly fluttered far ahead and was soon
out of sight.

Then Dot stopped and looked around. She was in a strange field. No
living thing was about. Yes, something was moving over in the far
corner. It turned around and seemed to sniff the air. Poor little Dot
stood almost frozen with fright. It was Big Ben.

Then Dot did the worst thing she could have done. She gave a loud cry
and began to run.

Big Ben shook himself and sniffed the air again. Then he began to come
toward her in great bounds, with his head down.

Back in the orchard the make-believe Mrs. Ray had begun to wonder why
her little girl was staying so long. At last with her scarf across her
shoulders and her umbrella ove