Page:Raggedy Ann Stories.pdf/86

 Raggedy Ann got to her feet and looked down and there were several little fluffy, cuddly baby chickies, round as little puff-balls.

“Cheep! Cheep! Cheep!” they cried when Raggedy stepped out of the nest.

“Baby Chicks!” Raggedy cried, as she stooped and picked up one of the little puff-balls. “They want to be cuddled!”

The two old hens, their eyes shining with happiness, got upon the nests and spread out their soft warm feathers, “The other eggs will hatch soon!” said they.

So, for several days Raggedy helped the two hens hatch out the rest of the chickies and just as they finished, Marcella came inside looking around.

“How in the world did you get in here, Raggedy Ann?” she cried. “I have been looking all about for you! Did the chickens drag you in here?”

Both old hens down behind the box clucked softly to the chickies beneath them and Marcella overheard them.

She lifted the box away and gave a little squeal of surprise and happiness.

“Oh you dear old Hennypennies!” she cried, lifting both old hens from their nests. “You have hidden your nests away back here and now you have one, two, three, four—twenty chickies!”” and as she counted them, Marcella placed them in her apron; then catching up Raggedy Ann, she placed her over the new little chickies.

“Come on, old Hennypennies!” she said, and went out of the coop with the two old hens clucking at her heels.

Marcella called Daddy and Daddy rolled two barrels out under one of the trees and made a nice bed in each. Then he nailed slats across the front, leaving a place for a door. Each Hennypennie was then given ten little chickies and shut up in the barrel. And all the dolls were happy when they heard of Raggedy’s adventure and they did not have to wait long before they were all taken out to see the new chickies.