and for me to tell you and let you be thinking about it, and
Alice and Mrs. Halford are both going to write you all about it,
and--oh, Mother, wouldn't it be too wonderful?"

Mrs. Morton looked both surprised and worried. "It is certainly most
kind of them all, but I shall have to think the matter over."

"Well," said Frank, "that doesn't have to be settled to-day. Jane,
Marian wishes to know if you want to go over to the Captain's with her
to see Sherm. She is going to start in a few minutes."

Chicken Little jumped to her feet. "I'll be ready in a jiffy!"

Sherm had still not wakened when they arrived. He had roused once toward
morning; Captain Clarke had spoken to him, telling him where he was,
then he had dropped quietly off to sleep again.

Captain Clarke asked Chicken Little a good many questions.

"I should like to see that letter," he said.

"It's in his coat pocket. I tucked it in--I was afraid he'd lose it."

Dr. Morton, who was still there, sat for several minutes in a brown
study.

"I think," he said presently, "that under the circumstances we should be
justified in reading it without waiting for Sherm's permission." He
looked at Captain Clarke.

The latter nodded assent.

Both read it and discussed it briefly. Still Sherm did not waken.

"I believe I'll drive over to Jake Schmidt's while I am waiting--I have
an errand with him. Marian, don't you want to ride over with me?"

"Captain Clarke," said Jane rather timidly after they had gone, "would
you mind showing me that picture of your baby again?"

Captain Clarke rose and brought the photograph. Chicken Little studied
it carefully, then glanced up at the Captain. Sherm certainly was like
the picture--as much like it as a boy who was almost a man grown could
be. Should she dare to ask him? Chicken Little felt herself growing hot
and cold by turns. Her heart was beating so she thought the Captain must
surely hear it. One minute she was sure she didn't dare, the next, she
remembered Sherm's broken-hearted words about not belonging to anybody,
and she was sure she could screw her courage up--in just a minute.
Captain Clarke helped her out. He had been observing her restless
movements for several minutes and was wondering if she could possibly
have guessed what was in his own mind.

"Out with it, little woman, what's troubling you?"

Chicken Little got up from her seat and went and stood close beside him.
"I want to say something to you awfully