You can have them now
if you want to take care of them. He rigged up
that little chicken-coop back there."
"I'll take care of them," answered David, fer-
vently.
"Well, you can come over by and by and get 'em.
There's nine hens and a rooster. They lay pretty
well. I ain't no use for 'em. I've got all the hens
of my own I want to bother with."
"All right," said David. He looked blissful.
The farmer stared past him into the house. He
spied the solitary umbrella. He grew facetious.
"Guess the umbrellas was all mended up where
you come from if you've got down to one," said he.
David nodded. It was tragically true, that guess.
"Well, our umbrella got turned last week," said
the farmer. "I'll give you a job to start on. You
can stay here as long as you want if you're careful
about your matches." Again he looked into the
house. "Guess some boys have been helpin' them-
selves to the furniture, most of it," he observed.
"Guess my wife can spare ye another chair, and
there's an old table out in the corn-house better
than that one you've rigged up, and I guess she'll
give ye some old bedding so you can be comfortable.
Got any money?"
"A little."
"I don't want any pay for things, and my wife
won't; didn't mean that; was wonderin' whether
ye had anything to buy vittles with.
Pages:
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265