178 Next to the Ground 



down, hustling for Christmas money or spend- 

 ing Christmas money already in hand. Since 

 there was no fun in listening to a stream of 

 noises you could not disentangle, Joe and 

 Patsy gave ear to the foxes barking in the 

 woods, the owls hooting, the chickens scramb- 

 ling about on the perches, and sometimes fall- 

 ing with a great squawking clatter. Their 

 fine new feathers were so thick and warm, 

 cold touched them only upon the feet. They 

 roost in huddled rows, with the breast-bone 

 coming down upon the perch between the 

 claws. When their feet begin to sting and 

 pinch, they rouse the least bit, and crowd to 

 one side or the other, trying thus to bring one 

 aching foot upon the perch where it is warm 

 from contact with the breast-bone. If the 

 whole perchful sidled at once, and in the same 

 direction, all would be well; But the sidling 

 is individual, and often in contrary directions, 

 hence the squawking falls, hence also the 

 chicken thief's trick of the warm board, learned 

 most likely from the gypsies. It is simple, 

 sure, silent. The thief warms a long board, 

 light and narrow enough to be easily held hori- 

 zontal, and thrusts it in through the hen hole, 

 under and parallel to the nearest perch. After 

 it is in place he presses the warm surface of 

 it up against the breasts of the drowsy birds. 

 As the grateful warmth comes to them they 



