THE OPOSSUM IN THE HEN-HOUSE.
“O George, the circus is coming! the handbills are all up, and such pictures of horses and lions and tigers, and everything!”
Ned jumped about for joy, until George said,—
“But how are you going, Ned? We have no money, and papa said he could not give us any more this month, if he gave us a gun.”
“The new gun,—so he did,” said Ned, sadly. “But the circus takes so little; they would let us in at half price.”
“I will tell you,” exclaimed George; “let us sell our white Leghorns to mamma. She wants them, I know, and the money we get for them will take us both to the circus.”
This was settled, and at dinner mamma was told of the plan.
“Put them up in the hen-house to-night,” she said, “and to-morrow I will look at them and we will fix the price.”
The boys went to bed early that night, but had hardly settled themselves to sleep when Melissa, the little servant-girl, rushed in with a light in her hand.