“Well, sixty sound eggs,—no, sound chickens, I mean:

Of these some may die,—we’ll suppose seventeen,

Seventeen! not so many—say ten at the most,

Which will leave fifty chickens to boil or to roast.

“But then there’s their barley: how much will they need?

Why, they take but one grain at a time when they feed,—

So that’s a mere trifle; now then, let us see,

At a fair market price how much money there’ll be.

“Six shillings a pair—five—four—three-and-six.

To prevent all mistakes, that low price I will fix;