"Indade, thin, and I have this foine crate ready to go right in the back of your cart," and there, to be sure, was a fine sort of cage with a board top and bottom and laths at the sides, while other laths were lying ready to be nailed into place after the geese should have been stowed away within it.The children were simply wild over this addition to their separate little sets of live-stock, and although the whole day was delightful, there was all the while an almost impatient looking forward to the supreme moment when they should start for home with those beautiful geese in their keeping.And at last it came.

"I wonder if my goose will be a little lonely," said Tattine, as they all stood about, watching Patrick nail on the laths.

"Faith and it will thin," said Mrs.Kirk."It never came to my moind that they wouldn't all three be together.Here's little Grey-wing to keep Blue-ribbon company," and Mrs.Kirk seized one of the smaller geese that happened to be near her, and squeezed it into the cage through the small opening that was left.

"Well, if you can spare it, I think that is better, Mrs.Kirk, because everything has a companion over at our place.We have two cats, two pairs of puppies, two little bay horses, and two greys, and two everything, but as there's only one of me I am friends with them all--""Bless your heart, but I'm glad you thought to mintion it," and then Patrick and Mrs.Kirk gave each little extended hand a hearty shake, and the children--declaring over and over that "they had a lovely time and were so much obliged for the geese"--climbed into the cart and set off for home.

"I'd go the short cut by the ford," advised Patrick; "it looks like we might get a shower by sunset.""Yes, I think we would better," said Rudolph, glancing toward the clouds in the west Rudolph prided himself on his ability to forecast the weather, and was generally able to tell correctly when a shower was pretty sure to come and when it was likely to "go round."So Barney was coaxed into a good gait, which he was ready as a rule to take towards home, and the little ford by way of a farm-lane, and which saved a good mile on the road home, was soon reached.Barney knew the place well and, always enjoying it, picked his way carefully to the middle of the ford, and then he took it into his stubborn little head to stand stock still, and to plant his four hoofs firmly in the nice soft mud at the bottom of the stream.