"I believe there's a few down at Connolly's farm," said Nancy; "at least I've heard so. I've a mind to send down and enquire." Then Granny went off with Nancy to her bedroom, and the children were left in the sitting-room playing with the kittens. "Turly," said Terry, "I want to speak to you. Put the kittens in their basket and come here." Turly came directly and they sat on two little stools and looked into the fire. "What is it about, Terry?" asked Turly. He was always ready for any startling plot or plan that Terry might propose to him. "Did you hear Nancy saying Granny was getting weak for want of her new-laid eggs, and that the hens wouldn't lay them for her?" "No," said Turly. "Well, she did." "We can't help it," said Turly. "You can't, dear; but I can. I'm older than you." "The hens won't do it for you, no matter how old you are," said Turly. "Oh!" said Terry impatiently, "that is not what I mean! There's a few hens down at Connolly's farm, and Nancy thinks they lay." "Where is Connolly's farm?" "I'm sure I don't know, but there are hens there, real industrious hens, and I want to get their eggs for Gran'ma." "You can't," said Turly. "Wait till you see," said Terry. Turly looked at his sister admiringly, but went on piling up the difficulties she was going to surmount. "You don't know where Connolly's farm is. And when you do, the hens are not yours. Connolly wants to eat his own eggs. Perhaps he's got a gran'ma." "No, he hasn't. And he would rather have money than eggs. At least poor people generally do." "How do you know he is poor?" "Oh, Turly, how you do keep contradicting! Now I'll tell you what I am going to do. I'll just get out the pony quite early in the morning and ride to Connolly's farm, and be back with the eggs for Gran'ma's breakfast." Turly opened his eyes wide with admiration, but he was not convinced. "Somebody will be sure to be angry," he said, "and there will be a row." "But you know it couldn't be wrong, Turly, because it is for Gran'ma. And I'm not going to bring the pony up the stairs, and it won't be wet, because it's just nice frosty weather--" "Connolly's farm is awfully far away. I'm sure it is," said Turly. "You'll never get back here for breakfast." "But I shall start quite, quite early." "It will be dark." "There's ever so much moonlight at six," said Terry. "I was awake this morning, and I saw it. I was just longing to get up and go off for a ride, and now there will be a real reason for doing it." "I will go with you," said Turly, suddenly changing his front. "Oh, no, you couldn't, Turly! There is only one pony. You must stay behind, and if there's any fuss because I'm a little late or something, you can tell them I've gone for the eggs and will be back directly." Nurse came in and took them off to bed, but Terry kept thinking of her morning adventure. She did not think of it as an adventure, but as a delightful surprise for Gran'ma.