Belle laughed, for she was too dignified and superior to ever think of farm-work. Natalie watched Norma rake over the roundel that was the center of the turn-around in the drive from the road, and then remarked: “Where did you find the compost, Norma?”
Norma looked up and smiled. “Mrs. Tompkins told me how to mix the fertilizer found in a barnyard, and so I did. But I found some in a box over there by the vegetable gardens and I used some of that, too.”
“If I didn’t have to go and look after my vegetable gardens, Norma, I’d help you plant the flowers,” said Natalie. “But duty calls me, so I must obey.”
“I’ll help Norma plant the slips,” offered Janet.
“Your duty is calling you with a louder voice than Natalie’s ever could,” laughed Belle, holding up a finger to attract attention to the pig-pen.
The girls laughed, and Janet sighed. “I suppose it will be pigs, pigs, pigs all summer, whenever I have anything else I wish to do. Even that old hen misbehaves, and gets off the nest every time I examine the eggs to see if they are being pecked.”
Natalie had started for her garden by this time, but when she reached the low dividing fence at the end of the grass plat back of the kitchen, she screamed furiously and ran for her precious vegetables.
The other girls turned and ran over to see what had happened. Natalie was shooing the young chicks away from her tender green sprouts, but she dared not tramp upon her beds, so the broilers ran a few feet away and then stood eyeing her. They, seemingly, were but waiting for her to go away so they could resume their breakfast.
“That’s because Janet forgot to feed them last night for supper. Now all my young beets are eaten off the top! How can we ever raise anything to eat or sell, if her old pesky chickens keep this up!” wailed Natalie, examining the beets.
“They only managed to get a few of them, Nat! Thank your stars you got here when you did,” remarked Belle.