Page:The animal story book.djvu/162

 'I know that, Michel, but what I don't know is how Pritchard proposes to get out of the poultry-yard.'

'Just wait and see what the scoundrel will do.'

Pritchard having finished his breakfast, or being a little alarmed at some noise in the house, stood up on his hind leg, and slipping one of his fore-paws through the bars of the gate, he lifted the latch and went out.

'And when one thinks,' said Michel, 'that if anybody asked him why the yard door was left open, he would say it was because Pierre had forgotten to shut it last night!'



PRITCHARD AND THE HENS

'You think he would have the wickedness to say that, Michel?'

'Perhaps not to-day, nor yet to-morrow, because he is not come to his full growth, but some day, mind you, I should not be surprised to hear him speak.'

VIII

Before going out to shoot that day, I thought it only right to give M. Charpillon an account of Pritchard's proceedings. He regarded him, therefore with mingled