“Why, who can it be?” she exclaimed.
“You can’t without help, I said.”
Feather Flop, the big Rhode Island Red rooster, came strutting around the corner of the bench.
“Why, is it you?” cried Mary Frances. “What do you know about gardening?”
“I ought to know a lot about gardening. I’ve lived in a garden most of the time ever since I was hatched,” shrilled Feather Flop.
“Yes, you have,” laughed Mary Frances, “and you’ve eaten up what you oughtn’t to, too.”
“That was when I was bad. I’m going to be good now.”
“Oh, well, that is different,” replied Mary Frances. “What’s the first thing to do?”
“Let me see,” said Feather Flop, scratching his head with one foot. “Let me see—why, the first thing—the first thing is to get the ground ready!”