The supper was nearly all eaten up by the other old hens before she knew what they were about. She managed to save only enough for the three little chicks who had stayed at home. Just as it began to grow dark, when their mother had given them up, and had settled down with a sad heart to take care of what children she had left, they came. They hopped through the fence one after another, till they all stood before her, a guilty little huddle. Just a minute before, mamma Topknot had thought she would give all her feathers if she could only see them alive once more, and now just as soon as she had them, she fell to scolding them. Oh, how she scolded! And such a hubbub as there was. Speckle stood off by herself and actually talked back. Two or three of the others tried to tell how it wasn't their fault, they never would have thought of such a thing. Then they all talked at once and told how hungry they were and said they never would run away again. Gray and Brownie stuck their heads from under their mother's feathers to see how things were going, while little Dove got up on her mother's back and tried to help scold. Blackey scud around behind his mother as soon as he came in and poked his head up under her wing as if he thought he could make her believe he never had been away. After they had all cried and said they were sorry, mother Topknot began to pity them, they looked so cold and tired, and so she forgave them and cuddled them all under her wings once more. Of course they had to go to bed without any supper, but that taught them a good lesson. They never did run away again. That was not the only reason, though—the going without their supper. They had a fearful time. They told about it next day. The great black dog chased them, a cat almost got one of them, and a boy threw stones at them. SOME CURIOUS FISHES. I DON'T suppose you think there are any fishes that can either walk or live any time out of water. Yet there are. The gurnard is one of the most important of the walking fish. M. Deslongchamp had an artificial fish-pond on the shores of Normandy, in which several of these creatures were. When he waded in the pond, he could easily see all their movements. On one occasion, when he was watching them in this way, he saw them close their fins against their sides, and walk along the ground by means of six slender legs, three on each pectoral fin. By these they can walk very fast. The square-browed malthe can also walk, and can live out of water. Sometimes it spends two or three days creeping over the land. The reason that all fishes cannot stay out of water is because they are so made that they have to breathe air through water. All fishes are this way, but some can carry water in their gills both for breathing and drinking purposes for several days.