134 



THE PARTRIDGES 



One day Mr. Rollins came home from the field, 

 carrying his hat very carefully in his hands. 



" Laura, come here," he called to his little 

 daughter. " I have something for you." 



He set his hat softly down on the edge of the 

 porch, and when the little girl looked in it she saw 

 eight pear-shaped, yellowish eggs. 



" What are they ? " she asked. " Where did you 

 get them ? " 



" They are partridge eggs. I found them down 

 in the field near the wood. Would you like to 

 have them ? " 



"Xes. But what shall I do with them ?" 



"Feel them. They're still warm. How would 

 you like to put them under old Dorcas, the hen, and 

 raise a brood of little partridges ?" 



" Oh yes, I'd like to do that. And will the little 

 partridges be really mine ?" 



" Yes, they shall all belong to you, and nobody 

 else. Come now and we'll see what Dorcas says to 

 the eggs." 



The eggs were carried to the chicken house. 



