"Well, well, well, this is a real surprise! Come right in," said dear, good Mother Grunty.
"I hope it is not too much of a surprise. We know Monday is wash day," smiled Mother Porky.
"No, not at all,—not at all, when such good friends as you come in!" And Mother Grunty really meant what she said, though she could not help worrying a bit about her well-nigh empty bread box and her large washing.
When hats and coats and rubbers had been put away and the four were comfortably settled around the fireplace, Mother Grunty told them all about her washing and about her untidy house and about her "picked-up" dinner. But she told them in such a nice way, such a nice, kindly, cordial way, that good Mother Porky had not the slightest reason to feel unwelcome.
"I don't know when I have had breakfast dishes to wash at this hour," laughed Mother Grunty as she returned to the kitchen, followed by Mother Porky and the three lovely little piglets.
"Now, my dears, you run outside and play," Mother Porky urged. "Blacky-ears and Little-wee have a nice swing and so many playthings out there, just you go on out now."
"All right," the two oldest agreed, but Little-tot, the baby of the family, wanted to stay with her mother. So Mother Grunty found some pictures and crayons and a pencil, and soon Little-tot was settled at one end of the kitchen table, while Mother Grunty and Mother Porky worked away at the breakfast dishes.
And such a good visit as they were having when shrieks and cries made them hurry to the kitchen door and out onto the porch.
"Where are they!" exclaimed Mother Porky, but even as she asked, one of her piglets came running toward her.
"Mamma! Oh, Mamma! Oh, Mamma! Do you know—?" Her breath gave out completely and she had to stop. "Oh, Mamma!" she began once more.