r than Dick Hardy's tame squirrel," Tom used to say, "for
that has to be kept in a cage."

"And Bob Rooney's pet coon has to be fastened by a chain," said Josie.
"But Jack-a-Dandy is as free as we are."

But mamma was not particularly pleased with Jack, and grandma continued
to grumble over his misdemeanors, especially when he would rummage in
her work-basket, and carry off her silver thimble or bright steel
bodkin.

"He's a troublesome creature," she would declare, "and if I had _my_
way, he'd get his neck wrung."

But we kept a good watch on our favorite, to keep him from getting into
mischief.

We had used our best endeavors to teach him to talk, but he was a poor
scholar, and could not even learn to pronounce his own name.

Still we loved him, and continued to take his part against his enemies.

Papa had never said much, one way or the other, about Jack, though he
was not very favorably disposed toward the race of crows. But when the
spring planting was done, he took sides with the opposition.

"If your tame thief pulls up my corn, I'll shoot him," he declared.

"If he troubles the young chickens, he'll have to go," said mamma.

"If he spoils my garden, I'll wring his neck," asserted grandma.

And, as may be imagined, we suffered considerable anxiety about our pet.

One day we were eating dinner, while Jack sat perched on the post-oak
near the door.

Suddenly a terrible commotion occurred in the chicken-yard, caused by a
hawk which had swooped down and seized a young chicken.

The hen-mother, however, attacked the marauder so furiously that it was
unable to carry off its prey immediately, and before papa could seize
his gun and reach the scene of conflict, Jack-a-Dandy had flown to the
hen's assistance.

He attacked the hawk so desperately that it dropped its prey, and a
terrible combat ensued, in which Jack came off the victor. But not
satisfied with this, he pursued the flying enemy a long distance,
attacking him sharply when occasion offered.

[Illustration:
"BEFORE PAPA COULD SEIZE HIS GUN AND REACH THE SCENE OF CONFLICT,
JACK-A-DANDY HAD FLOWN TO THE HEN'S ASSISTANCE."]

You may be sure we had a great many praises and a sumptuous dinner for
our favorite, on his return.

Hawks had for years been a great pest to poultry raising, and even mamma
espoused Jack's cause after his successful battle with the rapacious
foe.

And during Jack's life, not another chicken was molested by the hawks,
a