Part 17 (1/2)

”I guess I can remember the message if you can.”

”It is about a hen and a rooster that Miss Betsy Porter wants him to call for to send down to our house--only mother wants our hen-house fixed first.”

How bald it seemed put in this way! If only she could have seen old Michael himself, how differently she would have worded the message!

”It isn't very hard to remember that message, dearie,” said Mrs.

Farrell, in her cooing voice.

Peggy hated to have her call her ”dearie.” Half the pleasure in her purchase would be gone if she could not see old Michael. Suddenly, she had a bright idea. She ran around the side of the house to the kitchen window and waved her hand to old Michael.

It was one of the warm days in late autumn, and she was still wearing one of her blue frocks. Her hair was flying about and she pushed it back. Old Michael loved children, and he never hesitated to come at their call. He hastily shoved a large piece of apple pie into his mouth, and, seizing a piece of cheese, he came out of the kitchen door. They were out of hearing of Mrs. Farrell--that unfortunate ”Hattie,” who was doomed always to live in New Hamps.h.i.+re, while her husband was free to travel into any State, beginning with M, where his imagination led him.

”Well, what is it now?” he asked.

”Oh, Mr. Farrell, the most wonderful thing has happened!” said Peggy; ”I have bought such a lovely hen from Miss Betsy Porter, and she has given me a young rooster, and I am going to play they are people from the State of Rhode Island; and their names are Mr. Henry c.o.x and Mrs.

Henrietta c.o.x--only, of course, for most people, they are just a c.o.c.k and hen--just two Rhode Island Reds.”

”I see,” said old Michael. ”But why are you telling me about it?”

”Miss Betsy said you could bring them to us this afternoon. She said you were working for her, but mother wanted the hen-house fixed up a little first. Can you do it to-morrow?”

”I see,” said old Michael; ”you want the apartment in the hotel made ready for Mr. and Mrs. c.o.x?”

”Oh, yes,” Peggy said, laughing with delight; ”I want everything done for the people who are renting my house.”

”All right, Peggy, I'll look out for the comfort of your tenants.”

”My tenants are not going to keep any maid, Mr. Farrell; I've got to give them most of their meals, although they will get some out, and I thought you'd advise me what food is cheapest and best.”

They talked about the best food for Mr. and Mrs. c.o.x all the way to Peggy's house, where Mr. Farrell stopped to inspect the hen-house on his way to Miss Porter's.

”I always meant to keep hens sometime,” Mrs. Owen confided to Mr.

Farrell, ”but I did not mean to begin this winter.”

”If you have them at all, you might as well have a few more,” he said; ”it is a little like summer boarders--the more you have, the more profit you get.”

”I know,” said Mrs. Owen, ”but unfortunately, you have to begin by buying the hens.”

CHAPTER XIII

MRS. OWEN'S SURPRISE PARTY

Mrs. Owen was to have a birthday, and Peggy and Alice felt something especial ought to be done to celebrate it. It was Miss Pauline Thornton who put the idea of a surprise party into Peggy's head. She came over one rainy evening to tell Mrs. Owen about a surprise party the Sewing Circle was to give to the minister's wife on her fiftieth birthday. Miss Pauline Thornton lived with her father in the large gray stone house behind the stone wall on which Peggy was fond of walking. She was a great friend of Mrs. Owens, who could never understand why the children did not like her, for she was tall and good-looking and always wore beautiful clothes. Older people found her very agreeable and efficient.

Mrs. Owen helped her off with her raincoat. Underneath it was a dress the color of violets.

If Miss Pauline had been the kind of person with whom one could play the geography game, Peggy thought what a good time they could have had living together in Pennsylvania. But as it was, she did not like to spend even a half-hour with her. Miss Pauline's big house seemed dreary to Peggy, with its high ceilings and stately furniture and pictures.