be
especially asked to help Jud make it work.

"I thought the twins were coming," said Jud, absently, bending down to
tighten a screw.

"They must have stayed to play with the basket," Meg replied.

And that was just what the twins were doing, playing with the basket.

"You put something in it and let me pull it up," commanded Dot.

"I haven't anything to put in it," Twaddles offered. "The cat's
gone."

"Well you don't have to have a cat," said Dot impatiently. "I know
what we can get--eggs!"

There were always two or three hens that persisted in stealing their
nests and the twins had a fair idea of where these stolen nests were
in the barn. They often found the eggs and took them in to Linda.

Now, after a few minutes' search, they found seven eggs and put them
in the basket with great glee.

"Let me pull it up after you do?" asked Twaddles as Dot climbed up the
ladder.

"Well--perhaps," she replied carefully. "I might want to pull it up
more than once myself."

She began to pull on the rope and the basket dangled in the air.
Whether the sound of voices made Dot nervous, or whether the basket
was heavier than she had expected, it is hard to say. But just as Jud
and Bobby and Meg came out on the barn floor, Dot let that basket
fall.

"Good grief!" exclaimed Jud.

Twaddles seemed glued to one spot and the basket crashed down almost
under his nose. The eggs broke and some splashed up and sprayed him,
but most of the contents ran out on the floor in a bright yellow
stream.

"You took eggs!" Meg said accusingly.

"Well, nobody said not to," answered Dot in a rather frightened voice,
peering over the edge of the loft.

"All right, I'll say it now," Jud proclaimed. "After this, it is
against the rules to put anything in the basket which will break.
Remember that. And now, let me see if I can wipe you off, Twaddles."

Jud found a cloth and mopped the egg off Twaddles--fortunately not
much had reached him--and then Dot suggested that they do something
else.

"We could eat," Twaddles said placidly, which made Jud laugh.

"I'm going to start feeding the stock, so perhaps it isn't too early
for you to have lunch," he said. "That is one sure way to keep the
twins quiet, Meg."

Dot called after him that she hadn't said anything about eating, but
Jud didn't hear her. He was already measuring out corn for the
horses.

"Where is the lunch?" asked Bobby, who began to feel hungry himself.

"I know--I'll g