Page:At the Door (1905).pdf/21

 "Not so very many now," replied the boy. "There used to be lots and lots of them; but they found that they couldn't get in, and they got discouraged and stopped coming. You've no idea how many bad ones there used to be. I had to work pretty hard to keep them out and get rid of them, I can tell you!"

"I wouldn't think that you would have to watch so closely now, then," said Marjorie; "if they don't come any more."

"Oh, yes, I must! There are always ugly ones lurking around, and if one managed to slip in, it would telephone to ever so many others, and I'd have a lot to do to keep them out."

"And the good ones?"

"Oh, they keep everything beautiful and clean, and tear down the things that the bad ones have built—they are working on those chicken-coops and things now—and, besides, they tell me whenever a bad one gets in, in disguise. You can't imagine how good and helpful they are."

Marjorie thought for a minute, then she asked:—

"How did you happen to leave the hen-coops