Natalie: A Garden Scout Part 24

said Belle.

"Mrs. Tompkins told me that they would bud in two weeks at least. I mean, the portulaca and heliotrope and other old-fashioned plants she dug up for me. You see, they were already started in her garden, and this transplanting will only set them back a few days, she said."

"Then you can begin to figure on an income in a month's time, at the very latest," teased Belle.

Norma made no reply to this laughing remark, but she was determined to show Belle that perseverance and persistence were great things that made for success.

It was past nine when the girls reached Green Hill Farm. As they entered the side gate they heard strange sounds coming from the barnyard.

Everyone glanced at Janet to inquire the cause of the sounds.

"It sounds just like those piggies. What can they be squealing for at this hour?" said Mrs. James.

Janet looked guilty, but she said nothing. However, as soon as they reached the side piazza, she hurried on past the kitchen door and made for the barn.

Rachel heard the arrival and came out on the piazza. "Mis' James, dem pigs ain't kep' still all night. I guv 'em some hot mush at six o'clock 'cause Janet fergot to feed 'em. But I ain't goin' to be no nuss-gal to any porkers when I'se got my house-wuk to look affer. Ef I wuz goin' to raise hogs, I'd raise 'em, but I ain't goin' to do it fer no one else, nohow."

Everyone laughed appreciatively, and Mrs. James added: "Janet told us she had forgotten the chickens to-night. But I told her there was no use in her returning home, then, as fowl went to roost with the sun, and would not want to be bothered again. I was not aware the pigs had been forgotten, too."

"Wall, I kin tell her what ails 'em, but I jes' thought I'd let her try to fin' it out herself. Mebbe she'll take a little interest in her business if she is left to do the wuk!" declared Rachel.

"What makes them squeal, Rachel? You can tell us, can't you?" coaxed Natalie.

"Well den, dey ain't got no beddin' to sleep on, an' t' dish wid water is be'n upsot all evenin', so dey ain't got no drinkin' water. Young pigs drink an orful lot of water an' dey has to have good beddin' to sleep on, or dey'll squeal."

After this explanation, the other girls were eager to go to the pig-pen and see what Janet was doing for the comfort of her investment. Natalie ran indoors and got an electric flashlight, and they all started for the barnyard, Rachel bringing up the rear.

Poor Janet was ready to scream, when they found her trying to hush the pigs. She would try to catch first one, then another to see if anything had happened to them, but they kept her jumping around the pen without her fingers ever touching their little pink hides.

After Mrs. James explained the cause of their rioting, Janet crawled over the closely-fitted laths that fenced them in; and all the girls started for the barn to find some fresh straw for a bed. Water had been given them, and the avidity with which they drank it showed how thirsty they had been.

When the bed was made up in the little house, the three weary little fellows ran in and were soon curled up to sleep. Then the girls followed Rachel back to the house, Janet listening very humbly to her discourse on "Cruelty to Domestic Animals."

Early in the morning Norma was up, and without disturbing anyone, slipped down-stairs and started to work on the flower beds. She had listened so earnestly to Mrs. Tompkins' advice about digging and fertilizing the soil, that she had finished the narrow beds that edged the house before the other girls came down.

"Why, Norma, you certainly are industrious," said Mrs. James, when she saw all that had been accomplished.

"Isn't it fun, Mrs. James! I never dreamed how nice it is to be a farmer. But I never want to be anything else, now."

Belle laughed, for she was too dignified and superior to ever think of farm-work. Natalie watched Norma rake over the roundel that was the center of the turn-around in the drive from the road, and then remarked: "Where did you find the compost, Norma?"

Norma looked up and smiled. "Mrs. Tompkins told me how to mix the fertilizer found in a barnyard, and so I did. But I found some in a box over there by the vegetable gardens and I used some of that, too."

"If I didn't have to go and look after my vegetable gardens, Norma, I'd help you plant the flowers," said Natalie. "But duty calls me, so I must obey."

"I'll help Norma plant the slips," offered Janet.

"Your duty is calling you with a louder voice than Natalie's ever could," laughed Belle, holding up a finger to attract attention to the pig-pen.

The girls laughed, and Janet sighed. "I suppose it will be pigs, pigs, pigs all summer, whenever I have anything else I wish to do. Even that old hen misbehaves, and gets off the nest every time I examine the eggs to see if they are being pecked."

Natalie had started for her garden by this time, but when she reached the low dividing fence at the end of the gra.s.s plat back of the kitchen, she screamed furiously and ran for her precious vegetables.

The other girls turned and ran over to see what had happened. Natalie was shooing the young chicks away from her tender green sprouts, but she dared not tramp upon her beds, so the broilers ran a few feet away and then stood eyeing her. They, seemingly, were but waiting for her to go away so they could resume their breakfast.

"That's because Janet forgot to feed them last night for supper. Now all my young beets are eaten off the top! How can we ever raise anything to eat or sell, if her old pesky chickens keep this up!" wailed Natalie, examining the beets.

"They only managed to get a few of them, Nat! Thank your stars you got here when you did," remarked Belle.

"I just bet it was those same horrid birds that destroyed my garden before! I never saw a crow after that, and I thought I had frightened them away with the scarecrow. But now, I'm sure it was the broilers!"

declared Natalie.

"What a lot of satisfaction it will be to pick their bones," suggested Frances. That made them all laugh and put Natalie in a better humor.

Janet was wise enough to remain at her work with the pigs and chickens, and not venture near Natalie that morning.

At breakfast Natalie opened the subject. "Janet, you've got to keep those chickens in a yard. If they get into my garden again, I'm going to wring their necks and stew them for dinner!"

"Wait until they have a little more to them than skin and bone," laughed Janet.

"They'll make soup-if nothing more," snapped Natalie.

"I was about to say, Janet, that you might get some wire-netting at the Corners, such as is used for runways for chickens," suggested Mrs.

James.

"How much will it cost? I can't spend more than my allowance, you know,"

answered Janet.

"I have a letter here, in reply to one I wrote Mr. Marvin, saying I was to use my own good judgment about the out-buildings. I wrote him that we ought to repair the coops and pens, as well as the barns, as soon as possible. And he says we can get whatever material we need for slight repairs at the Corners. He opened an account for us with Si Tompkins and this wire can be charged to that."

"But I don't see why you should pay for my chicken run, Mrs. James?"

said Janet.

"We are going to repair it, anyway, whether you keep chickens in it, or someone else does it. If you are willing to help with the work to be done on it, we will consider it squared on the cost of the wire-netting and nails," explained Mrs. James.

"I'll go to the Corners right after breakfast and get the wire. Maybe I can find someone to drive me home again, so I won't have to carry the awkward roll," said Janet eagerly.

Norma was too busy with her flowers to join the other girls after breakfast, and Natalie said she saw some weeds growing up in her garden beds so she would have to get after them. Janet and Belle and Frances, therefore, started for the store, planning to help carry the roll of wire back home.

Mrs. James a.s.sisted Rachel with the housework as it was cleaning-day, and so everyone was engaged when an automobile stopped in front of the house.

Norma Evaston was carefully patting down the soil about a geranium plant when a shadow fell across it. She glanced up, and started in surprise when she saw Mr. Lowden smiling down at her.

"Good-morning, Norma. I thought to find Frances here, too, so I crept up the walk to surprise her," said he.

"Oh, how did you get here? There isn't a train until eleven," returned Norma wonderingly.

"We came in the machine. Mrs. Lowden and I are going to leave it here for you to use this summer, so we thought it best to drive out and go back later by the train."

"Why, Mr. Lowden! Frans only mailed that letter last night! How could you have received it already and driven here?" Norma puckered her brow as she tried to figure out what time the letter could have arrived in the city that morning, if it left Greenville at six o'clock.