"But all those chickens may not be hens. You have calculated that
every one of them would set as soon as it was old enough."

She stopped a minute to think this over.

"Two heads are better than one, I see," she said, directly. "I'll
allow that one-half of all the chickens are roosters, and that will
make the profits twenty-four thousand three hundred dollars--more
than enough to buy this place."

"Ever so much more," I cried. "This Rudder Grange is ours!"



CHAPTER IX.

WE CAMP OUT.


My wife and I were both so fond of country life and country
pursuits that month after month passed by at our little farm in a
succession of delightful days. Time flew like a "limited express"
train, and it was September before we knew it.

I had been working very hard at the office that summer, and was
glad to think of my two weeks' vacation, which were to begin on the
first Monday of the month. I had intended spending these two weeks
in rural retirement at home, but an interview in the city with my
family physician caused me to change my mind. I told him my plan.