“Where were the children?” demanded Percy.
Joel twisted uneasily. It had always been a great trial to think of his absence on such a momentous occasion.
Polly answered briskly, “Why, the two boys were down in Farmer Brown’s cow-yard; there was a little hole full of water, something like a pond, you know; and they were sailing boats, and”—
“Oh, dear me, I wish we hadn’t been!” grunted Joel. “I’d rather have seen the black chicken come in.”
“And Phronsie had been put to bed early. It was almost dark, you know, and she was tired out; so Mamsie and I were all alone.”
“And Mamsie thought it was a crow,” said Ben to Mother Pepper, who still was at work over her mending-basket the same as ever. “Didn’t you, Mamsie?”
“Yes,” said Mrs. Pepper, with a smile at the remembrance. “He was more like a crow, children, I’m sure, than anything else, he was so black.”
“Oh, how I wish we could have seen it!” exclaimed Percy and Van together.
“And Ben said he’d give me half of the chicken,” ran on Polly; “and then we could have him for Thanksgiving, and I could make my pie”—