"Well," replied his father, "I guess there are mighty few businesses or professions where you don't have to take chances. By the way, Son, I'm beginning to be afraid your hopes of Annapolis may be disappointed. I don't understand why Senator Pratt ignores my letter this way." "Oh, I forgot to tell you, Father, Captain Clarke heard at the hotel yesterday that Senator Pratt has been seriously ill for several weeks, but they've been keeping it quiet. They say he's just beginning to take up his affairs again." "We may hear then in a day or two. I believe I'll go to town to-day--it's too wet to do any work." The day dragged for the young people indoors. They tried dominoes and authors, but the boys soon found these tame and settled down by themselves to chess as more worthy of a masculine intellect. The rain ceased and the sun came out about two o'clock. Gertie was in the midst of a letter home, but Katy and Chicken Little hurried outdoors into the moist, fresh air joyfully. "Let's go get some of those summer sweetings. I'm hungry for an apple. My, doesn't the air taste good?" Chicken Little was taking deep breaths. They picked their way daintily to avoid the wet weeds and high grass. The sky once more serene, receded in deep bays above the arches of foliage. Every now and then a bird, startled by their coming, flew out from the branches overhead, sending down showers of drops on their hair and shoulders. They found the sweeting tree and Chicken Little soon had an apron full. It was too wet to linger and they had started back, when Chicken Little stopped still and made a wry face. "Katy Halford, we haven't fed those pigs!" "No sir, we haven't!" "Say, this would be an awful good time to do it--everything's so wet, we could loosen one of the stones easy. And I guess they'll do the rest fast enough." "If we don't give 'em much to eat they'll want to get out worse." The days since Alice's and Dick's coming had been so full they had found no opportunity to carry out Jane's scheme for ridding themselves gracefully of their burdensome boarders. Katy had explained the plan to Gertie, who heartily endorsed it. She went back to the house after her now, while Chicken Little began scouting to see if there were anyone about. The coast seemed clear. Jim Bart had gone to look after the pasture fences, and Marian told her that Ernest and Sherm had taken the wheelbarrow and started to the south field after a load of watermelons. "They'll be back in half an hour if you want them for anything, Jane." Jane didn't want them for anything: she merely wanted them safely out of the way. She sped back to the house. "Hurry, girls, everybody's gone, and Marian's putting Jilly to sleep in the bedroom on the other side of the cottage, so she won't see us. I'll go get the milk and those pea pods Annie saved."