90 DORA AND DUMPY 



few minutes and when she thought Dumpy was 

 not looking she turned and scampered back 

 toward the house. In an instant, with a shrill 

 cry of "Peep, peep, peep," Dumpy came run- 

 ning after her, half hopping, half flying in his 

 haste to overtake his doctor, nurse and mother, 

 all in one, whom he loved with all his little 

 chickie heart. Mrs. Barrett saw Dora turn at 

 the chicken's cry, saw her stoop and let the 

 little fellow hop up on her hand, and opening 

 the window she called out to the troubled little 

 girl : 



"Good for lame Dumpy and my precious lit- 

 tle daughter who has been so kind to him ! You 

 will have to mother him a while longer, I guess." 



For many weeks Dumpy followed Dora about 

 the yard and the garden, refusing all care but 

 hers. Even when full grown, he was often seen 

 limping after the child, a daisy chain or a gar- 

 land of clover blossoms setting off' the scarlet 

 comb he always wore on the top of his hand- 

 some head. 



