eight."

"Why, thank you very much, my dear lady," said Henny.

"Fluffie, dear, you look badly. What is the matter?" asked Lady Gray about an hour later.

"I feel rather badly, too, Lady Gray. I think we have been having too much fuss down here. I will try to stay in my nest more."

"Fluffie, I want to ask you and Henny and Speck up to the Castle if you will come," said Lady Gray.

"If we will come! We certainly will. We will be delighted to come to the Castle on a visit."

"Fluffie, I don't want you on a visit. I want you there to live. How would you like that?" asked Lady Gray.

"O, my dearest lady. Do you mean it?"

"Yes, I certainly mean it."

CHAPTER TENTH.

TROUBLE AT FOWL FARM.

"Squark! squark! squark!" went Stuffie, Highhead, Longlegs, and Bigfoot. It was just after the clock had struck for midnight. Red Nose Mike woke up to find the door open and some one, he could not tell who, standing there with the people in his hand. He was reaching for Charcoal. Mike at once woke Charcoal and the rest of them escaped. Soon the person, whom Red Nose Mike could see was not a chicken, disappeared.

"O! O! where are they? Who was it? O! Cousin Red Nose!" said Eatwell.

"No time for this, Eatwell," said Mrs. Bluehen. "Mr. Bill, Mr. Bill, where are you?"

"Right here, putting on my overcoat. I must go up to the Castle and warn the people of the danger," answered Bill.

"Yes, I was just going to say you ought to go."

Bill was gone. Did he ever reach the Castle? We will see.

THE TRAMP.

As soon as he got outside the door the first thing Bill did was to put his ear down to the ground. But he heard nothing. Then on he went. But no, his legs would not carry him fast enough. He flew. At last the Castle came in sight. How was he to get in? He knew. There was a porch, a top porch, and Lady Gray's bay window opened into it. Bill flew on the porch and commenced pecking on the window.

Lady Gray was easy to wake. She was soon at the window. She raised it and said:—

"Mr. Bill, what do you mean? This is rather late to pay calls."

"O, lady, it is not a call. I came to tell you that serious trouble has come to dear Fowl Farm," said Bill.

Lady Gray was a person not easily frightened, so she said:—

"I hope it is not as serious as you think; but what is it?"

"My dear madam, a tramp came to our house and stole Stuffie, Highhead, Longlegs, and Bigfoot. Dear lady, he may come here, so please send out to see if he has left the farm."

This was too much for Lady Gray. She fainted.

CHAPTER ELEVENTH.

LADY GRAY'S ILLNESS.

"How is the lady this morning?" asked Red Nose Mike the next day.

"Worse!" said Brownie, who was a trained nurse.

Mike sighed. "Is there anything I can do?" he asked.

"Yes, go for Doctor Fixit. She won't hear of a doctor coming, but——"

Red Nose Mike was gone before she could say more. An hour and a half later Brownie, Henny, and the doctor were on the Castle porch.

"What do you think, doctor?" asked Henny.

"My dear madam, she has been worked up and is very badly off. She must be kept very quiet. Those powders I left on the table must be taken the last thing before going to bed and the first thing in the morning. She must eat nothing. Make her some beef tea."