"No such luck, he has started a suit against Alice to recover those certificates."

"How did you hear?"

"His lawyer came to me to get Alice's address. And what do you think?

d.i.c.k Harding told me this morning that Ga.s.sett tried to get him to take the case. Foxy, wasn't it? d.i.c.k declined promptly."

"Alice would do well to get d.i.c.k for her lawyer."

"I imagine Uncle Joseph will attend to that."

"Still, I think I'll drop her a hint."

But Alice had evidently not forgotten d.i.c.k Harding or Dr. Morton's remark about his being a good lawyer. Before the doctor's letter could reach her, a formal missive from Uncle Joseph requested d.i.c.k Harding to defend Alice's side and to get an older lawyer to help him.

d.i.c.k went promptly to work. Dr. Morton sent down the box of letters and papers Alice had left in his charge and d.i.c.k went over them carefully, but did not find what he was hoping for.

"It is a queer mix-up," he wrote Alice. "I cannot understand why there isn't a sc.r.a.p of writing anywhere from Mr. Ga.s.sett to your father. There surely must have been some correspondence between them on business matters. Many things in your father's letters to your mother show this--but the letters are missing. It hardly seems likely your father would have destroyed them all. Do you suppose that he could have left them at the store and that they have fallen into Ga.s.sett's hands, too?

Or could your mother have accidentally destroyed them? I remember though you said she was most careful to keep old letters. I have a queer feeling about all this--that the missing letters and papers still exist and will turn up yet. But feelings don't go in law courts. Is there an attic to the old house or any secret closet where they could possibly have been concealed?"

Alice talked the matter over with Uncle Joseph and he started rummaging among his papers to see if he could find anything in her father's old letters that would help. There were few references to business matters in these and no reference to Mr. Ga.s.sett except a mere mention of the fact that he had gone into partnership with him.

"It's no use, Alice. I am afraid we'll have to let Ga.s.sett have the stuff though I hate like sixty to give up," he said after his fruitless search.

"Well, I'm not ready to own beat yet--I have one last hope," Alice replied bravely.

That night she sat down and wrote a letter to Mrs. Morton.

CHAPTER XVII

COUSIN MAY'S PARTY

Chicken Little found Pete Parrot a great joy and a great nuisance. Dr.

Morton was right about his reproaching her if she neglected him. When Pete began to call "Chicken Little," Mrs. Morton would exclaim, "Why, Jane, haven't you fed Pete today?"

Pete had a wonderful appet.i.te. He ate when he was hungry and he ate when he was lonesome and he ate when he was bored. Further Pete was deceitful. He would call Chicken Little persistently when he had food enough in sight to feed a small regiment of parrots. He seemed to prefer her to anyone else from the start. When he heard the front door open, he promptly croaked, "Chicken Little." When they let him loose he would follow her about the house, a trick that cost him dear later.

And Jane was devoted to Pete. She loved to talk to him. Pete would c.o.c.k his head on one side and listen attentively, breaking out occasionally with "Bust my b.u.t.tons" or "Go off and die." Sometimes he would listen solemnly for several minutes and then laugh his harsh croaking laugh.

One afternoon near the close of school Jane, coming in, heard her mother's voice calling from the sitting room and Pete echoing the call from upstairs.

"What is it, Mother?"

"I have some pleasant news for you, little daughter, Katy's cousin, May Halford, is to have a party next Sat.u.r.day and here is a nice little note inviting you and your doll. I think May must have written it herself. It is very prettily done--I wish my little girl could write as neat a one."

"But she's two years older than I am, Mother."

"Yes, but you are not too young to learn to write neatly. I noticed your copy book had three great blots in it this month."

"Grace Dart jogged me--she wanted me to look at Johnny Carter. He had the back of his hand all covered with transfer pictures."

"Well, you must learn not to let your attention wander in school. Johnny Carter seems to be a very mischievous boy."

"What can I wear to the party, Mumsey?" Chicken Little wished to change the subject.

"I think you may wear your blue poplin and the white shoes if it's a nice day. But you must be a little lady and not romp--the poplin won't wash, you know."

"Couldn't I wear a white dress?--they almost always play rompy games at May's."

"My dear, it is high time for you to learn to take care of your clothes and Mother knows best what little girls should wear."

Chicken Little puckered up her mouth rebelliously but Pete walked in the door at this moment calling "Chicken Little" so plaintively that she had to pick him up and comfort him. She took him out in the yard and relieved her mind to him.

"Pete, if I ever have any little girls, I'm always going to let them wear exactly what they please--and I'm never going to tell them to be little ladies. Anyhow I guess I can wear my white shoes and there haven't any of the other girls got any yet."

Pete eyed her in silence.

"I shall take my Christmas dolly--she's the prettiest."

Pete c.o.c.ked his head on one side and began to climb up in her lap. He had caught sight of Ernest and Carol coming in the front gate, and the boys often teased him.

As they came near he cuddled up close against Jane, calling vigorously, "Scat!--Go off and die!"

The boys laughed and Ernest held out his slate pencil which the parrot nipped fiercely.

On the afternoon of the party Katy and Gertie came by for Chicken Little. They were crisp and dainty as usual in ruffled white dresses with blue and pink sashes and hair ribbons. Chicken Little looked from them to her own silken finery regretfully.

Katy began by cheering her the wrong way.

"My, you'll have to be awful careful with your dress, Jane. I guess it would spoil it if you dropped ice-cream on it."

"I'm glad white will wash," added Gertie complacently, smoothing down her ruffles.

Chicken Little hugged her doll tighter and ignored these remarks.

"I'm glad it didn't rain today 'cause Mother wouldn't have let me wear my white shoes if it had."

"It rained hard enough last night--you'll have to watch out for puddles.

Father said everything was soaked this morning," replied Katy.

"It's dried awful fast--May's going to have the party on the lawn. Her mother's set a table out under the trees," said Gertie.

"Yes, and she's going to have a prize for the prettiest doll. We're each to write a name on a piece of paper and put it in a hat and then they'll count them and give it to the doll that has the most."

"Mother made a new dress for Minnie and painted her cheeks where I washed the pink off, but I don't s'pose she'll get the prize--she's so old. Maybe your Victoria will, she has such pretty blue eyes."