ir midst and pecked furiously at
the poor, unsuspecting intruders. The chickens, taken utterly by
surprise, fluttered to the ground without offering any resistance.
They cackled so loudly, however, that the noise brought Titus to their
rescue, and he succeeded in capturing the badly frightened hens.

Mr. Mocking Bird, triumphant, ascended to his anxious spouse.

"Dearest," she cried, "you're not hurt, are you?"

"Hurt!" he repeated boastfully, "hurt? Well, I should say not. It was
only some upstart chickens who dared to sneak into the house, and I'm
more than a match for any number of such. I guess we shan't be
disturbed again by chickens or by impudent dogs and cats."

Mr. Mocking Bird proved right in his surmise. The birds thereafter
enjoyed their home without further intrusion.

Under Beth's care, the chickens flourished finely. They laid many an
egg which in due time were placed beneath mamma hens.

There was a very proud little girl in the Davenport family when finally
balls of yellow broke through the egg shells.

Then Beth began saving eggs for Easter, and, on Easter Day, she found
that she had enough to give every darky one, besides having all that
were wanted for her own family.

This Eastertide brought new diversions to Beth. For one thing, she
received an invitation to spend a night in town with a little girl
named Laura Corner. The Davenports and the Corners had been friends in
the North before the two families moved South.

Beth had never before spent a night away from home. She thought it
would be a "sperience" to go, and prevailed upon Mrs. Davenport to let
her accept the invitation.

The momentous day arrived at last. Beth wished to take all her
belongings with her, from Fritz to a small trunk. She had to be
content, however, with a valise.

Fritz and Arabella were admonished to be good during her absence, and
the chickens were entrusted to Marian's care.

Mrs. Davenport drove Beth to town. Upon reaching the Corners' home,
Beth's heart sank unaccountably, and she had a hard time to keep the
tears back, when she kissed her mother good-bye. However, Laura and
the Corners were so very cordial that her spirits soon revived.

In the afternoon several little girls, who had been invited to play,
came in. Among the number was one who especially attracted Beth. She
was slight and graceful. Her hair was golden and her eyes were blue.
Beth, of course, was introduced to all the girls,