The Twins almost told! The Secret was right on the tip end of their tongues, but they clapped their hands over their mouths, quickly, so it didn’t get out.
The man laughed. “Anyway, it’s a fine pig, and you’ve a right to get a good price for her,” he said. And he gave them the very best pen of all for Diddy.
When she was safely in the pen, Eileen and Larry tied the red ribbon, which Eileen had brought in her pocket, to Diddy’s ear, and another to her tail. Diddy looked very gay.
When the Twins had had a bite to eat, they stood up before Diddy’s pen, where the man told them to, and Diddy stood up on her hind legs with her front feet on the rail, and squealed. Larry and Eileen fed her with turnip-tops.
There were a great many people in the
Fairgrounds by that time. They were laughing and talking, and looking at the things in the different booths. Every single one of them stopped to look at Diddy and the Twins, because the Twins were the very youngest farmers in the whole Fair.
Everybody was interested, but nobody offered to buy, and the Twins were getting discouraged when along came some farmers with ribbons in their hands. They were the Judges!
The Twins almost held their breath while the Judges looked Diddy over. Then the head man said, “That’s a very fine pig, and young. She is a thoroughbred. Wherever did you get her, Mr McQueen?”
Mr McQueen just said, “Ask them!” pointing to the Twins.