in summer.

"Dear me," said Katy, "how big do little pigs have to be before they can
be turned into the corral with the others?"

"Oh, six or eight weeks, I guess."

"They are getting awfully smelly!" remarked Gertie, holding her nose,
"and they aren't a bit pretty any more."

"I know and Father said last night we'd have to begin and feed the pigs
some, too, before long." Chicken Little sighed. This speculation in pigs
had its unpleasant side.

"I guess we'd have to bring a lot more stuff if Ernest and Sherm didn't
help us out. They give them things to eat lots of times. But I think Jim
Bart might keep the pen a little cleaner," Katy observed.

"He's so busy he doesn't have time."

Another morning occupation was bread-making. Dr. Morton had offered a
brand new dollar to the girl who would bring him the first perfect loaf
of bread. They were taking turns under Mrs. Morton's teaching, but it
did seem as if more things could happen to bread. Katy would have had
her perfect loaf, if she hadn't let the dough rise too long. The loaves
were beautiful to look at, but slightly sour, alas! Chicken Little
spoiled her prize batch by sitting down to read and letting it burn.

Gertie's first and second were very good, but a trifle too solid. Katy
won out on her third, and produced a loaf so light and crisply brown
that Marian said she was envious.

The others wanted to stop when Katy secured the dollar, but Mrs. Morton
persuaded them to persist until they could equal Katy's.

"You may send one to Captain Clarke, if you wish."

This stimulated their waning interest and they tried to produce that
perfect loaf. A week went by before Mrs. Morton nodded approval, saying:
"Yes, that is nice enough for a present. I am sure the Captain will like
it."

The girls had planned to take it over on the ponies, but Mrs. Morton
wanted to send over two gallons of blackberries also, which was more
than they could manage.

"I am sending Ernest and Sherm down the creek this evening on an
errand," said Dr. Morton, "and they can stop at Captain Clarke's and
leave the things. You girls can go some other time."

Chicken Little decided to send some of her spare pinks. She came in with
a great handful just as the boys were ready to start.

"Where is your loaf, Chicken Little?" asked her mother.

"O dear, I forgot to wrap it up. It won't take a minute."

"Take one of the fringed napkins to wrap it in, then put paper around
that," called her