he close of the day.

It was still winter, though Archie and Elsie wished spring would come so
they might play oftener out of doors. And one rainy day, when it was too
cold and stormy to be out, Archie and Elsie went to the big, warm barn
to have fun. Archie carried his Elephant and Elsie had her Doll.

"Let's go upstairs to the grain bins," suggested Elsie, when they had
played about in the hay for a time.

"Maybe Jake will let us open the bin door from up there, and we can
watch the oats slide down the chute," said Archie. "I like to watch the
oats slide."

"So do I," Elsie admitted. The grain bin was so built that the door of
the chute could be opened from above or below.

Up to the upper floor of the barn went the two children, with the
Elephant and the Doll.

"Are you here, Jake?" called Archie, but there was no answer.

"I don't guess he's around," said Elsie.

"I don't guess so, either," replied Archie. "But I don't guess he'd care
if I let down some oats. I looked in the lower bin and there's hardly
any there. I'm going to let some down the chute."

"I'll watch you," offered Elsie, as she set her Doll on top of a big oat
box.

The cover to the box was open. Archie liked this because he could see
the smooth oats go down the wooden chute, or slide, like so much water.

"I'll let a lot of oats down," the little boy said to his sister. He
placed his Elephant on the edge of the bin, near the Doll. Then Archie
pulled on the handle that opened the door. It was hard work, for the
oats pressed against the door. Elsie came to help him, and at last the
children managed to get it open.

"There they go!" cried Archie, as the oats began to pour down the chute.

"Yes, and there goes your Elephant!" shouted Elsie. As she spoke, the
stuffed toy fell into the oat bin, and, a moment later, the poor chap
was sucked into the smooth chute, with the running grain, and the oats
closed over his head. Lost to the sight of the children, the Stuffed
Elephant was taking a dangerous slide.

CHAPTER VII

THE BIG DOG

Archie was so surprised at what happened that, for a moment, he could do
nothing but stand and look at the stream of oats gliding down the wooden
chute to the bin on the floor below.

"There goes your Elephant!" cried Elsie again. "He fell right into the
oats, Archie!"

"Yes--yes--I--I see he did!" stammered the little boy.

"I'm glad my Doll didn't go, too!" went on Elsie. "I guess I'd better
tak