"Little boys should eat what is put before them, and be thankful that they have food to eat," observed a severe-looking maiden aunt. "Ralph is not very well to-day," said his sister Nellie, in a low tone. "His appetite has not been so good lately as it used to be. He never seems to get on with bacon; and there have been very few eggs brought in for some time. Do you think the fowls have left off laying, papa?" "Hardly, my dear; this is just the time of year they lay most freely. I suspect they are hiding them, and making nests for themselves in some secret place." "_I_ suspect, John, that the stable-boy takes them. It is not at all likely that fourteen or fifteen fowls would hide their eggs, whatever one might do," said the severe aunt. "Hens choose curious places to lay their eggs in sometimes," said Mr. Thorn,[11] laughing. "I remember one fine Spanish bird that invariably laid hers on the top of a wall." [11] The real names are, of course, suppressed throughout. "What a queer place, papa! Did not the eggs get broken?" "They did, my dear, to the great distress of the poor fowl, who no doubt wished to make a nest in that strange, out-of-the-way place. I used to listen for her cackling, in order, if possible, to save the egg; but it always tumbled off the wall before I could get to it. Another, a Cochin-china fowl, laid hers on a heap of stones, and----" "Those must have been very badly managed fowls, John," interrupted Miss Thorn. "Now, yours, on the contrary, are well cared for, and properly housed." This was quite true, for Mr. Thorn's fowl-house was large and airy, and well supplied with every necessary convenience. Indeed, so true a fancier was he, that his extensive fowl-house was partitioned off, so that his Brahmas, Cochin-chinas, Houdans, and other breeds should be in no danger of mixing. It was Mr. Thorn's custom always to collect his eggs himself, the first thing after breakfast; and he never allowed any one to go into the fowl-house on any pretence whatever, unless in his company. Owing to this precaution the fowls were all very tame, while some would testify their pleased sense of his presence by stretching out their necks and uttering a little note of welcome. He was the more surprised, therefore, on the morning on which our story begins, to notice that all the fowls were in a state of intense excitement. To his astonishment, he found some of the doors communicating with the various sections of the house wide open, and the cocks, that he had supposed were safely guarded from each other, fighting together fiercely. Evidently his sister was right. Some other hand had collected the eggs. [Illustration: "WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT MR. THORN'S EGGS?"] As he was coming out, after having with some difficulty restored order, his little boy came running up to him, with his bag of books on his back, on his way to school, saying eagerly--