"He was lookin' out of the window and pumpin' at the same time, an' spoutin' them verses too.

And all of a sudden he cries out, 'Ther's the brood of dark My Hen, scratchin' up the sweet peas.

Upon them with the lance!' And he lets go the pump-handle, and it flies up and hits the shelf and knocks off two plates and a cup, and Bubble, he's off with the mop-handle, chasin' the old black hen and makin' believe run her through, till she e'enamost died of fright.

Well, there, it give me a turn; it reelly did!" She paused rather sadly, seeing that her hearers were both overcome with laughter.
"I--I am very sorry, Mrs.Chirk, that the plates were broken," said Hilda; "but it must have been extremely funny.

Poor old hen! she must have been frightened, certainly.