“I just bet it was those same horrid birds that destroyed my garden before! I never saw a crow after that, and I thought I had frightened them away with the scarecrow. But now, I’m sure it was the broilers!” declared Natalie.
“What a lot of satisfaction it will be to pick their bones,” suggested Frances. That made them all laugh and put Natalie in a better humor. Janet was wise enough to remain at her work with the pigs and chickens, and not venture near Natalie that morning.
At breakfast Natalie opened the subject. “Janet, you’ve got to keep those chickens in a yard. If they get into my garden again, I’m going to wring their necks and stew them for dinner!”
“Wait until they have a little more to them than skin and bone,” laughed Janet.
“They’ll make soup—if nothing more,” snapped Natalie.
“I was about to say, Janet, that you might get some wire-netting at the Corners, such as is used for runways for chickens,” suggested Mrs. James.
“How much will it cost? I can’t spend more than my allowance, you know,” answered Janet.
“I have a letter here, in reply to one I wrote Mr. Marvin, saying I was to use my own good judgment about the out-buildings. I wrote him that we ought to repair the coops and pens, as well as the barns, as soon as possible. And he says we can get whatever material we need for slight repairs at the Corners. He opened an account for us with Si Tompkins and this wire can be charged to that.”
“But I don’t see why you should pay for my chicken run, Mrs. James?” said Janet.
“We are going to repair it, anyway, whether you keep chickens in it, or someone else does it. If you are willing to help with the work to be done on it, we will consider it squared on the cost of the wire-netting and nails,” explained Mrs. James.