“Here’s one that isn’t very big and it’s loose at one corner. Let’s try it.”
The stone had been put there to stay and did not yield readily. Jane dug till she was tired, then Katy took a hand. Gertie had been posted as a sentinel where she could watch the road.
They strained and tugged, but the stone was obstinate. Jane was getting red in the face.
“The old hateful—I’ll get it out or bust!”
242“Perhaps I can help you, Chicken Little.”
The girls glanced up in dismay. Sherm stood there grinning. He had come back across lots.
“What you trying to do, anyhow? Have your pets been getting out?”
There was nothing to do but take Sherm into their confidence.
“Please promise you won’t tell, Sherm–they’d tease me to death if they know. But we’re sick of those pigs. I never want to lay eyes on a pig again. So we thought we’d just loosen a stone so they could get into the corral with the others and Father’d think they’d dug out themselves. Nobody can ever pick ’em out from the others. They are every bit as big as old Whity’s pigs and Father turned them in two weeks ago.”
Sherm chuckled. “Mum’s the word. Hand over the pick and we’ll do such an artistic job that the porkers themselves will think they are responsible for the whole business. I don’t blame you. That’s not girl’s work!”