e would
be glad to have some inkling of what had happened so that he might know
what to say to the boy when he waked.

Dr. Morton got out his medicine case and went back with the man.

CHAPTER XX

THE CAPTAIN FINDS HIS OWN

Chicken Little climbed the hill of sleep painfully that night, and
slept late the following morning in consequence. While she was eating
breakfast, Frank came in with two tear-stained, dusty letters, which he
had found in the bottom of the buggy.

"Is this the way you treat your correspondence, Sis?"

"The idea--it's Ernest's and Katy's letters and I never read them.
Sherm's trouble drove them clear out of my mind."

"Evidently, one is torn part way open, and the other hasn't been
touched."

"Hurry up and tell us what Ernest has to say. I was wondering why he
hadn't written." Mrs. Morton paused expectantly.

"He says a lot of things," replied Jane, skimming rapidly through the
letter. "He says they are going to start on their summer cruise next
week and the boys are tickled to death to go, though they're probably
just going to cruise around to Navy yards and see dry docks and
improving things. He says that it's rumored that Superintendent Balch is
going away and Old Rodgers is coming back as superintendent. And this
year's class graduated three Japs--the Japanese government sent them
over. He gives the names, but I can't pronounce them. One is
I-n-o-u-y-e."

"Skip the Japs and give us the rest." Frank was waiting to hear the
news.

"That's about all that would interest you."

"My dear, anything concerning Ernest interests me," protested her
mother.

"But it isn't about Ernest; it's about Carol Brown."

"Well, what is it?"

"Oh, nothing much--he just took a fancy to my picture and asked Ernest a
lot of questions." Chicken Little folded the letter and hastily slipped
it back into the envelope, devoutly hoping her mother wouldn't demand to
see it. She tore open Katy's. Before she had read two lines she gave a
little cry of delight.

"Oh, Mother, do you think I could? Oh, wouldn't it be just too
wonderful? Oh Mother, you must say Yes!"

"Jane, what are you talking about? Calm yourself and tell me." Mrs.
Morton looked up over her spectacles severely.

"Why, she says her mother wants me to come and live with them next year
and go to the High School and that Alice and Dick want me to come there.
And, perhaps, I could stay part of the time at one house and part at the
other,