ourites at the Horticultural Show, which, taking the
neighbouring villages by turns, was this August to be held at Dolmadoc.
After much discussion the choice fell on three young Wyandotte pullets
and a pair of white Aylesbury ducks, all of which were duly entered for
exhibition.

"I want Snowy and Daddles to look their best," she remarked, the evening
before, "and the tiresome beasties have been wallowing about in the mud
and don't look a scrap as they ought. Isn't it aggravating?"

"Couldn't you wash them?" suggested Lesbia.

"Wash them! What a brilliant idea! I never thought of that. Will you get
up early to-morrow morning and help me?"

"Rather! It will be sport."

"We'll give them a regular shampoo," exulted Regina, much taken with the
notion.

Next day the two girls were astir at six o'clock. They hauled a tin bath
outside and shut themselves into a disused pigsty with a pail of warm
water and a packet of Lux, a sponge, the biggest watering-can, and their
victims the ducks. Snowy and Daddles were tame and affectionate
creatures, who would follow their mistress anywhere for a bribe of
Indian corn.

They waddled willingly into the pigsty, and stood at attention,
quacking. They were very dismayed and indignant, however, at the
treatment to which they were subjected. Regina and Lesbia were as gentle
as possible, but a duck is a slippery object to bath, and the cleansing
process was accomplished only with much flapping and splashing. Each
bird in turn was placed in the bath and sponged with the soapy shampoo,
then it received a shower from the watering-can to rinse its plumage.
The girls were as wet as the ducks before they had finished, but they
were satisfied with the results of their labours.

"Don't they look _beau_-ti-ful?" rejoiced Regina, comforting her
protesting pets with further supplies of Indian corn. "I shall leave
them shut up here till it's time to take them to the show, then they
won't get into any mischief. Poor darlings! Did you think you were being
killed?"

All exhibits were bound to be delivered before ten o'clock, so at
half-past nine the Websters prepared to set forth. There was tremendous
discussion as to the best means of conveyance. Regina possessed no
poultry hampers, and considered, moreover, that jolting in baskets was
bad for the plumage of her favourites. Taking into account their extreme
tameness, she decided it would be best to carry them. She consigned a
pullet apiece to Der