Did a pig escape? Immediately danger threatened the poultry-yard.
For a pig has terrible teeth and he doesn't care what he eats--he
would as soon crunch a little duckling as a carrot. So she had to
watch every minute, every second even. For besides, in spite of
the vigilance of "Labrie," the faithful watchdog, sometimes rats
would suck the blood of the young pigeons. Once even a whole
litter of rabbits was destroyed that way.

To dispose of the products of her farm, Mother Etienne drove twice
a week to market in her market-cart drawn by Coco.

She was famed for the best vegetables, the purest and creamiest
milk; in short, the eggs she sold were the freshest, the poultry
and rabbits the tenderest and most juicy to be had. As soon as she
and Coco came trotting into the market there was a rush to get to
her first.

There, as everywhere, everyone loved Mother Etienne.




CHAPTER II


A MOTHER'S DEVOTION


Thus time passed peacefully at the big farm.