greatest enthusiasm, and, as he spoke, he laughed down into Rose
Mary's lifted blue eyes that were positively tender with pride over
the puppies in her arms. "It's a sight worth losing the tale of a
dream for--taken all together."

"And all the others--I'll show you," and, gathering her skirts
basketwise, Rose Mary rose to her feet and led the way across the
barn, with Sniffer snuffing along at the squirming bundle in her
skirts, that swung against the white petticoat ruffling around her
slim ankles. With the utmost care she deposited the puppies in an
overturned barrel, nicely lined with hay, that Stonie and Tobe had
been preparing. "They are lovely, Sniffie," she said softly to the
young mother, who jumped in and huddled down beside the babies as her
mistress turned to leave them with the greatest reluctance.

And it was well that the strata of Everett's enthusiasm lay near the
surface and was easily workable, for in the next half-hour there was a
great demand of continuous output. Mrs. Butter stood switching her
tail and chewing at a wisp of hay with an air of triumphant pride
tinged with mild surprise as she turned occasionally to glance at the
offspring huddled against her side and found eight wobbly legs instead
of the four her former experiences had led her to expect, and felt two
little nuzzling noses instead of one.

"Which one do you guess was the surprise calf to her, Rose Mamie?"
demanded the General.

"Shoo!" said Tobe in answer to the General's question. "Old Butter
have had them two calfs to purpose, boy and girl, one to keep and one
to kill. She got mixed about whether Mr. Tuck keeps heifers or bulls