[THE THREE RUNAWAYS BECOME ILL]
Nobody can tell just how long it was after the Chickens ran away, but it was certainly some little time, when Older Brother began to have trouble about breathing. “There seems to be something stuck in my throat,” said he to his mother. “I can’t breathe without opening my mouth a good deal.”
“There is something stuck in my throat too,” said Younger Brother.
“And in mine,” added Little Sister.
The Barred Plymouth Rock Hen looked very sad. “It is just as I expected,” said she.
At that moment another brother ran up. “What’s the matter with these Chickens?” he asked his mother. “They’ve been running around all morning with their mouths open, and it makes them look too silly for anything. I don’t want to play with them if they can’t keep their bills shut. I wish you’d tell them to stop.”
“They can’t stop,” said the Barred Plymouth Rock Hen, sadly. “They have the gapes.”
“What is that?” cried all the four Chickens together, while three of them looked badly scared.