ers, he lifted
Jilly and Huz from Chicken Little's aching arms, and took them all in to
his wife to be comforted.

It was some little time before Chicken Little could give the Benton's an
intelligible account of what had excited the steers. Mr. Benton's
astonishment was unbounded.

"Well, Chicken Little, I'll never say another word 'bout city folks
being skeery. You ain't so bad for a tenderfoot. How'd you know enough
to face them that way instead of running? If you'd run they'd trampled
you all into mince meat! Steers are the terablist critters!"

Chicken Little was too shaky to answer with anything but a smile.

Mrs. Benton refreshed them with milk and cookies and after the children
had recovered from their fright, Mr. Benton drove them home.

Frank came to lift Jilly from the buggy and Mr. Benton related their
adventure with a relish.

"Clean grit, that sister of yours!" he ended. "She never even let go of
that plaguey dog. The tears was a streamin' down her face and I low
she'd pray one minute and let out a yell at them blasted steers the
next."

The tears stood in Frank's eyes as he hugged both Jane and Jilly close
after Mr. Benton drove away.

"I'll never forget this, little sister."

"Why, Frank, it was the only thing I could do. Marian trusted Jilly to
me and I couldn't let poor little Huz be killed!"

Huz evidently approved this last sentiment, for he gambolled around the
group, doing his doggish best to please.

Chicken Little's modesty, however, was destined to be short-lived. By
the time her mother and Marian and Ernest had all praised and made much
of her exploit, she felt herself a real heroine. She was a natural-born
dreamer, and she spent the remainder of the day in misty visions of
wondrous adventures in which she always played the leading part.

CHAPTER II

HARKING BACK TO CENTERVILLE

Mrs. Morton was sitting by the dining room window one afternoon about a
week later, busily knitting.

"Here comes Father, Jane. Run out and get the mail. There should be a
letter from Alice telling about the wedding and when they are coming."

"Oh, I do hope there is!" Chicken Little flew out the door and down the
path to the road where Father was unloading bundles before he drove on
to the stables.

"From Alice? Yes, and one from Katy and Gertie, and three for Marian.
She's the popular lady this time." Dr. Morton handed out the treasures.

"Hurry, Mother," Chicken Little fairly wriggled wi