84 The Partridge Family 



mendous bag. Shadows stole from the woods and 

 blurred the rows of corn till buzzing wings might 

 sound with impunity anywhere. Doc shouted, 

 " Want to go through once more ? " I yelled 

 back, " Too dark ! " 



How we suddenly discovered that we were very 

 weary ; how we tramped two miles too far trying 

 to locate our farmer and his chicken ; how Madge 

 jogged contentedly at heel while Joss persisted in 

 ranging through the darkness; how we finally 

 gathered in the chicken ; how we almost fell 

 asleep during the long ride home, need not be 

 dwelt upon. 



Doc's better half was patiently waiting. She 

 scanned the tired faces and bulging coats, and 

 knew things had gone well that day. Before 

 letting the dogs go to feed, she dropped on her 

 knees between them, and with an arm about the 

 neck of each, she plumped out the awful question, 

 "Which do you think is the best?" I was in 

 a mighty tight place, and I knew it. Fate, how- 

 ever, was kind, for I happened to notice the arm 

 about Madge tightening in a way that was, to say 

 the least, suggestive. To be candid, my chief im- 

 pression was that those dogs were exceptionally 

 fortunate brutes ; but that was not the question. 

 Risking a random shot, I ventured, " Well, if 

 Doc will put Madge in the coming field trials, I'll 

 remain to see that running." 



