was the same matter-of-fact, straight-forward boy he had
always been, but his father's long illness had sobered him, though he
could be hilarious, as he was proving now.

"Say, Sherm," Katy prodded, "why don't you borrow Jane's riding skirt
too?"

"Yes, Sherm, go the lengths--you'd make a beautiful girl," teased Alice.

Sherm laughed. "Chicken Little may have something to say to that!"

"I thought you'd be making excuses."

Sherm was not to be bluffed. "Not much, hand it over, Chicken Little."

"You never can get into it, Sherm."

"What'll you bet?"

"It'll be too small around the waist."

Dr. Morton stopped and Jane hastily slipped off the skirt, presenting
rather a funny appearance herself with her habit basque and the blue
lawn dress showing beneath. Sherm dismounted, turning Calico over to
Ernest to hold. The entire party shouted when Jane reached up on tiptoe
to throw the clumsy skirt over his head. Sherm neglected to hold it, and
the shot in the hem promptly dropped it to the ground.

"Gee," exclaimed Sherm, "the cranky thing seems to have a mind of its
own."

"I don't know what the girls want to wear the pesky things for,"
grumbled Ernest.

"They don't want to wear them--but their pernickety brothers and fathers
and husbands consider them modest," Alice hit back promptly.

"I consider them very dangerous," said Dr. Morton.

While this bantering was going on, Chicken Little was vainly endeavoring
to fasten the band around Sherm's waist.

"You'll just have to squeeze in, Sherm. I can never make it meet," she
giggled.

"I'm squeezing in, I tell you."

With a triumphant pull, Jane got the band buttoned and Sherm heaved a
sigh of relief--a disastrous sigh--it sent the button flying and the
weighted skirt once more slid to the ground.

"Drat it!" Sherm groaned.

"Now, you said you'd wear it. Don't let him back out, Chicken Little,"
Katy urged.

"Who said anything about backing out?"

"You'll have to get a string, Jane. Haven't you a piece in your pocket,
Frank?"

Frank produced the string and by dint of using it generously, the skirt
was finally secured and Sherm still allowed some breathing room.

But the girls were not yet satisfied. Katy insisted upon lending him her
leghorn hat and Alice contributed a veil. Gertie offered a hair ribbon
which Chicken Little slyly pinned to the collar of Sherm's coat.

He was a sight for the gods when he finally remounted. But he carried it
off with a