expected to see something wonderful. But when they craned their necks and
peered into the little hollowed-out snuggery in the hay they couldn't
help being disappointed. And when they didn't burst forth with cries of
surprise and praise Henrietta Hen looked quite unhappy.

"I thought," she said, "you'd want to see this egg. I'm sure you never
beheld a bigger nor a whiter one than this."

They admitted that the egg was big and that it was very, very white. And
if their praise was faint, Henrietta never noticed it.

"Are you going to let Farmer Green have that egg?" one of the company
inquired.

"No doubt Johnnie Green will grab it as soon as he finds my nest," said
Henrietta with something like a sigh. "If I could only keep this one I
wouldn't care how many others he took."

Polly Plymouth Rock turned to old Whitey, a hen who had come with her to
the haymow.

"What do you think?" Polly asked. "Is Henrietta in danger of losing this
egg that she thinks so much of?"

"She needn't be alarmed," old Whitey answered. "If Johnnie Green robs her
of this one, I'll miss my guess."

"Oh! I'm glad to hear you say that!" Henrietta Hen cried. "Now I won't
need to worry--that is, if you know what you're talking about."