“Oh, Feather Flop!” exclaimed Mary Frances. “Oh, Feather Flop! You did wrong, and now you’re angry! What is the matter with you? You used to be so nice!” “Oh, let me alone,” answered the rooster. “All right, then,” said Mary Frances. “All right! I’m going away now.” “I don’t care! You could have saved me from being a jail bird!” said Feather Flop, turning tail. “Excuse me, I don’t care to answer another word!” he declared, putting his head under his wing. Just then her mother called her, and Mary Frances had to leave him to go into the house. “Poor old Feather Flop!” murmured the little girl. “Maybe I should have saved him from being locked up like a real thief! I don’t believe he meant to be so bad!” CHAPTER XXXIII FATHER AND MOTHER’S SURPRISE “PERHAPS you suspected, Mother dear,” said Mary Frances after showing the radishes and lettuce, and telling about the garden lessons Billy had taught her. “Perhaps you and Father suspected we were gardening.” “We had an idea that something was being done in that line,” smiled her mother, “but we did just as you requested. We didn’t try to find out.” “Wasn’t that dear!” exclaimed Eleanor. “I think Mary Frances has such wonderful experiences!” “She has had a happy life,” said the mother, looking sympathetically at Mary Frances’ little friend, for Eleanor’s mother had died two years before. Only for a few moments did the tears stand in Eleanor’s eyes, then she said: “Mary Frances has been so good about sharing her splendid times with me. Do you remember the cooking lessons, and the sewing lessons, and Mrs. Paper Doll’s housekeeping lessons, girlie?” “They’re not so far past that you can’t remember,” smiled Mary Frances’ mother, “but you girls are growing up fast. I hope that, even when you are young ladies, you will delight in just such lessons as you have already had.” “I feel sure I shall,” declared Mary Frances. “I do, too,” said Eleanor. “Play lessons,” went on the mother, “keep fun in your hearts and ‘fun keeps one young,’ you know.” “Well, these garden lessons were fun,” said Mary Frances, “but they had a great deal of hard work attached. Oh, Mother dear, I’ll ask you what I meant to! May we serve the lettuce and radishes for dinner, and not say a word to Father about them? Then, perhaps he’ll say, ‘What fine radishes! What tender lettuce! Where did you get them, Mother?’ Oh, wouldn’t I just love that to happen!” “I don’t doubt that he will say it, Mary Frances! I would, I know, for I’ve not seen any so fine this year,” replied her mother. “I have the radishes all washed and ready for the table,” said Eleanor. “Shall I put them on?” Mary Frances nodded. “Just put them in the refrigerator until nearer the meal hour,” said her mother, “then they’ll get more crisp!” “How about this lettuce?” asked Mary Frances, who had it well washed by this time. “Feather Flop didn’t hurt it so much after all,” she said to herself. “I don’t think I’ll say anything about what he did.”