Chicken Little's eyes were redder than Sherm's when she got up to go back to the house. Sherm noticed her tear-stained appearance. "Wait a minute," he ordered bruskly. He ran down to the spring stream just beyond the willows and soaking and rinsing out his handkerchief, brought it dripping to her. "Mop your eyes, Jane, they look awful. There--that's better. I'll be along pretty soon!"

Mrs. Morton had not considered it necessary to inform Katy and Gertie that she had also written to their mother, asking if their visit might be prolonged until the last of August. Mrs. Morton was firm in the opinion that every detail of children's lives should be settled by their elders for their best good, and she expected the children to be properly thankful. Her expectations had not always been realized with her own children--all three having often very definite ideas of their own as to what they wanted and what they didn't want. But in this instance she was not disappointed. The joy was general when Mrs. Halford wrote that the girls might remain until the twenty-eighth, when a business friend of Mr. Halford's would be coming through Kansas City, and would meet the girls there and bring them on home. To be sure, Gertie had a bad half hour thinking how much longer it would be before she could see Mother, but she soon forgot all this in the bustle of preparation for Alice and d.i.c.k.

Marian and Frank had arranged several excursions for their last days at the ranch. They had seen fit to include the young folks in only one of these--a day in town when they were to go to the old Mission and look up some interesting Indian Mounds in the neighborhood. Captain Clarke was to be of the party, and, true to his promise, insisted upon driving the boys and girls in himself.

The afternoon Alice and d.i.c.k were expected, the girls were down the lane watching for the first glimpse of the bay team, to greet them. They had arrayed Jilly in white with a wreath of forget-me-nots on her blonde curls and a small market basket full of hollyhock blooms to scatter in the pathway of the expected guests. Frank was responsible for the hollyhocks. Flowers were becoming scarce, it had been so dry, and Chicken Little was bemoaning the fact that they could hardly find enough to trim up the house.

"Hollyhocks, sure. There's a whole hedge of them right at your hand.

Nothing could be more appropriate for returning honeymooners. Further, they're gaudy enough to compete with the two inches of dust in the lane.

If we don't have rain pretty doggoned soon we won't have any crop."

Both Mrs. Morton and Marian looked up anxiously.

"You don't think----?" Marian hesitated. She did not wish to burden Katy and Gertie with family worries.

"No, I don't think, not being in the weather man's confidence. But a rain inside of the next three days would mean hundreds of dollars to the Morton family and the whole Eastern half of Kansas as well."

Chicken Little's mind flew instantly to Ernest's cherished hopes. "Oh, can't Ernest go to college if we don't have rain?"

"Don't bother your head, Chicken, we'll find some way to take care of Ernest. Go back to your decorations."

Ernest and Sherm had spent the preceding evening erecting a remarkable arch over the front gate with "Welcome to Our City" done in charcoal letters a foot high on a strip of white paper cambric, depending from it, and an American flag proudly floating above. The girls completed this modest design by tr.i.m.m.i.n.g up the gate posts with boughs.

Mrs. Morton's preparations were more practical. Three peach and three custard pies crowded a chocolate cake and a pan of ginger cookies on the lowest pantry shelf. The bread box lid would not shut, the box was so full, and a whole boiled ham was cooling down at the spring house, not to mention six dismembered spring chickens which had been offered up in place of the regulation calf.

"I shouldn't mind if they had cooked two of the pigs," groaned Katy.

They were giving their charges an extra big feed, being fearful lest they should forget them in the excitement of the guests' arrival.

"Neither would I," Chicken Little replied with a sigh. "I'm sick of the sight of 'em!"

Gertie threw a carrot and hit the one time beauteous white one with the curly tail, so smart a rap on his snout that he squealed his disapproval while his relatives bagged the carrot.

"I don't care if I don't get any money for my share of 'em," said Katy after a pause of disgusted contemplation of the pigs. "I'd have to spend it for something useful like as not, or give some of it to the heathens.

Let's give them back to your father."

"I'd just as lief, only Frank and the boys would tease us everlastingly if we backed out now--and we've worked so hard!"

"I don't care. I'd just as lief quit." Gertie's discouraged expression was so funny that Chicken Little laughed and Gertie, the patient, flared. She hated to be funny.

"Stop it--I am not going to help you feed those horrid pigs another time, Chicken Little Jane Morton. I've just been doing it to help you out. And I don't think it's a suitable occupation for girls--or company!" Gertie climbed down from her perch on the log pen and departed with dignity.

"Humph, I guess I never asked you to help me. Besides, you expected to get as much money as I did. You can just go off and sulk if you want to."

"Well, I don't think that is a nice way to talk to your guests." Katy climbed down and departed to soothe her sister.

Chicken Little whacked her heels against the logs and made a face at the nearest pig to relieve her feelings. She loathed the creatures. She wished she could wipe them off the face of the earth. Katy was half way to the house when she had an inspiration. "Katy!" she called eagerly, "Katy, I've got an idea."

Katy continued her way without glancing 'round.

"It's something you'll like."

Katy wavered and unbent enough to ask: "What is it?"

"Come here and I'll tell you. I'm not going to yell it."

Katy considered and finally returned reluctantly.

When she came back to the pen, Chicken Little glanced round to make sure that no one was about, to overhear, then, to make sure, whispered excitedly into Katy's ear.

Katy's face lighted. "All right, let's. Gertie won't care."

They had entirely made up this slight unpleasantness by afternoon.

Perched on rocks under the shade of the cherry trees they waited impatiently for d.i.c.k and Alice. Jilly had been coached in her little speech so often that there was no doubt at all that she would get it wrong. She had been told to say, "Welcome, Uncle d.i.c.k, welcome Auntie Alice." She had said it faultlessly three times already when approaching wheels started them to their feet expectantly. They were disappointed by seeing a neighbor drive round the bend in the lane. When the familiar bays did come into view with their swinging trot, Jilly was so enchanted she started off pell mell to meet them, spilling her blossoms out generously as she ran. The girls overtook her before she quite got in the path of the horses and reminded her of her responsibility.

Dr. Morton pulled up and d.i.c.k leaped to the ground, punctuating her attempted "Weecome" by tossing her into the air and kissing her noisily.

Jilly struggled free. Her coaching had not been in vain.

"Oo muttant--I ain't said it, and oo pillin' ve fowers."

d.i.c.k set the mite on her feet with exaggerated courtesy. "Of course--to be sure. I beg your most humble pardon, Miss."

Jilly drew in a long breath and began at the beginning again. She plunged a fat hand into the market basket and aimed two hollyhock tops in the general direction of d.i.c.k's diaphragm, repeating impressively: "Wee-come, Unky d.i.c.k." She took no notice of his profound bow, but looking up at Alice, who was leaning out the side of the seat watching with amused eyes, she showered another handful upon the wheels and horses hoofs impartially. "Wee-come, An-tee Alish," she said solemnly, then, with a rapturous look of triumph, turned to the girls for approval.

She got it, with numerous hugs and kisses for interest.

d.i.c.k surveyed the remainder of the reception committee critically.

"Chicken Little, I hate to mention it, but is there anything left on the ranch to eat? I have been a little nervous all the time we have been away, remembering the execution Katy and Gertie and Sherm were doing when we left and now----" He gazed sorrowfully at the girls' plump cheeks. "I know they have gained ten pounds apiece. Be frank with me, Jane, is there anything left?"

"If there isn't, d.i.c.k, you might commandeer one of Chicken Little & Co.'s pigs. They are fat enough to sustain you for a few hours," replied Dr. Morton, glancing at the girls.

Katy and Jane also exchanged glances.

d.i.c.k was quite overcome when he caught sight of the triumphal arch and the flag.

"Support me, Chicken Little, this reception is so, ah, flattering it makes me faint with emotion. Young ladies, Dr. Morton," he placed one hand over his heart and bowed low to each, "and esteemed----" he hesitated, not seeing anyone but Jilly to include in this last salutation, "esteemed fellows," he bowed once more, including trees, bushes, and any other objects handy, with a courtly sweep of the arm, "it is with deepest grat.i.tude I----"

"Heart-felt sounds better, d.i.c.k," interrupted Alice, laughing.

d.i.c.k gazed at her reproachfully. "'Tis always the way when I try to soar, my wife seizes my kite by the tail and pulls it down with a jerk.

I thought lovely woman was supposed to inspire a man to higher----"

d.i.c.k was interrupted in the middle of his complaining by Mrs. Morton's coming out to greet them.

The next few days fairly flew by. Each member of both families had thought of a variety of things that Alice and d.i.c.k must do before they went home. Unfortunately, there were only twenty-four hours in a day and it seemed necessary to spend part of these in sleep.

"We ought to have at least one more hunting party," declared Chicken Little.