But Mrs. James did not pursue the subject at that time, for she naturally thought that Janet had taken the eggs which Farmer Ames had brought that day. Whereas, Natalie had helped herself to nine more eggs from the box when it came from the store, and the two girls had shoved the extra eggs under the hen at evening-time. Then the inspected eggs which Ames left at the house, were quietly smuggled into the box for Rachel to use, in place of those which had been taken out.
Soon after this the house was quiet again, and the inmates slept soundly until the cock roused them with his loud crowing from the handrail on the back stoop.
“Now how did he escape?” wondered Janet, as she hurriedly dressed.
She never discovered how he managed to get out, but she felt sure it was because he was starving. So she fed the fowl an extra big breakfast to make up for not giving them any supper.
CHAPTER IV
TENDERFOOT SCOUTS OF SOLOMON’S SEAL TROOP
Having given the setting hen enough feed to last a week, Janet went to the pig pen. She never leaned heavily on the fence, now, but she shoved the pan of food under the fence where one of the porkers had rooted a hole. After watching them fight and grunt madly for the mush, she laughingly turned and went to have one more look at the expectant mother-hen.
She was so perturbed at finding the eggs uncovered and the hen out in the yard gossiping with the other fowl, that she ran quickly to the house.
“Jimmy! Jimmy! Where are you?” she called excitedly.
“On the side-porch writing a letter for catalogues,” came the answer.
Janet ran out there and exclaimed: “Jimmy, that old setting-hen got up to have breakfast and she never went back to her business of hatching those eggs. What will happen, now?”