see what God wanted to make
such horrid, wicked things for!"

"Well, the Bible says they weren't wicked till Eve ate the apple," Katy
replied, staring curiously down at the snake. She had never seen such a
big one outside of a circus. "But I think they must have always looked
wicked, anyhow. How did you ever dare, Chicken Little, to tackle it? I
was expecting it to wind right round you like that picture of Laocoon in
our mythology."

"I shouldn't have dared if I hadn't seen so many of them before. I guess
being brave is mostly being used to things. But I hate snakes worse than
anything in the world--I don't feel a bit sorry about killing them!"

"Oh, dear," said Gertie, shuddering, "I s'pose we have got to find the
rest of the pigs."

Katy and Chicken Little each echoed the sigh. They all started ahead
resolutely. But they kept closer together for a time. They went some
little distance without finding any further signs of the lost animals.

"You don't suppose we could have passed them, do you?" Katy inquired
anxiously.

"We couldn't, if they are on this side of the slough."

A few rods farther on something moved in the swamp grass. All three
jumped and screamed: their nerve had been sadly weakened by the bull
snake.

A squeal and chorus of grunts reassured them.

"Here they are--a lot of them. Oh, dear, I wish we'd brought the coop
along so we wouldn't have to go back." Jane parted the tall grass and
discovered five of the fugitives huddled together. They were much
livelier than the first ones and showed symptoms of bolting if the girls
approached nearer.

"I'll go back for it," said Katy. "I'll go through the short grass and I
won't be afraid."

Chicken Little and Gertie watched and waited.

"Isn't that little white one with the pink ears and curly tail cunning?
I didn't suppose pigs could be so pretty."

"They are only pretty when they are weenties. As soon as they grow old
enough to root in the mud, they are horrid."

When Katy returned they anchored the red wagon with the chicken coop and
the two captured piglets as close to the slough as possible. All three
crept upon the pig cache cautiously.

"Pick out which one you'll grab, for they are going to run sure,"
Chicken Little admonished.

They made a dash and each got a pig, but, alas, the two free ones made a
dash also--a break for liberty worthy of an Indian. They selected routes
immediately in front of, and immediately behind Chicken Little, w