But Janet had not told Rachel that the other eggs had been placed under the hen at various times, so she did not learn until she read it in the poultry book, that a hen will not remain upon eggs placed in the nest any later than the first lot.
On the way back to the house Janet complained: “Dear me, Rachel, I’ve lost all this time waiting for those good-for-nothing eggs to hatch out. I might almost have had a brood of chicks in another week.”
“Ain’t yoh glad we foun’ it out afore all dem aigs exploded and killed dat hen?” laughed Rachel. “Cuz dat’s de way of water-glass aigs, sometimes.”
“Really!” was Janet’s astonished exclamation.
“Yeh,” Rachel giggled. “I done hear once dat a dozen water-glass aigs hatched out a hull winderpane! Ha, ha, HA!”
Rachel’s shout of laughter was so appreciative of her own joke, that Janet joined in laughing despite the fear she still entertained that her poultry business was going bankrupt.
But Rachel sobered down as she reached the steps and she turned to encourage Janet. “Don’t you give up hope cuz dat lazy hen woulden manerfachoor plate glass for you, Chile. You keep on watchin’ dem nestes; now you locked your fowl up in a small yard you’ll get aigs, all right!”
With a loud chuckle, Rachel went indoors while Janet went to the side porch to sit and ponder over her problems.
But Rachel had planned a trick by which Janet would be encouraged, so she took the rest of the eggs from the basket on the shelf, and at the first opportunity, she got away from the house. She went to the barn by devious ways to avoid being seen, and then she placed the eggs in the different nests. This done she crept back to her kitchen work.