miller brought her the flour she walked slowly back all the way to her
own barnyard in her own picketty-pecketty fashion.

[Illustration: ]

[Illustration: ]

[Illustration: ]

She even managed, in spite of her load, to catch a nice juicy worm now
and then and had one left for the babies when she reached them. Those
cunning little fluff-balls were _so_ glad to see their mother. For the
first time, they really appreciated her.

[Illustration: ]

[Illustration:]

After this really strenuous day Mrs. Hen retired to her slumbers
earlier than usual--indeed, before the colors came into the sky to
herald the setting of the sun, her usual bedtime hour.

She would have liked to sleep late in the morning, but her chicks,
joining in the morning chorus of the hen yard, drove away all hopes of
such a luxury.

Even as she sleepily half opened one eye, the thought came to her that
to-day that Wheat must, somehow, be made into bread.

[Illustration]