Spangles, and, settling herself in the coop, began, with her
voracious band of little plebeians, to devour the grain with stolid
appreciation.

Miss Wingate laughed merrily, Teether Pike gurgled and the Doctor
looked up with baffled astonishment.

"That was your fault," he accused; "you influenced Dominick while I
was expending my force in beguiling Spangles. Now, you try to get
her in the next coop yourself. I shan't help you further than to
spread the grain in front of all the coops." And in accordance with
his threat the Doctor disposed of the rest of the food and stood
with the empty pan in his hand. And, like the well-trained flock of
biddies that they were, all the rest of the hen mothers clucked and
cajoled their fluffy little families into their accustomed shelters
and began to dispose of their suppers with contented clucks and
cheeps. Only Mrs. Spangles stood afar and eyed the only vacant coop
with evident disdain.

"I don't know what to do," murmured Miss Wingate pleadingly. But the
Doctor stood firm, and regarded her with maliciously delighted eyes.
Teether bobbed his head over her shoulder and giggled with
ungrateful delight The poor little chicks peeped sleepily, but still
Spangles held her ground. The truth of the matter was that Dominick
had really taken the coop usually occupied by her ladyship, and with
worldly determination, the scion of all the Wyandottes was holding
out against the exchange.

With a glance out of the side of her eyes from under her lowered
lashes in the direction of Doctor Mayberry in his stern attitude,