Part 4 (1/2)

And he did succeed The gosling was naturally a strong little thing, and, thanks to Dan's nursing, was soon able to limp around the shed that had been converted into a hospital One of its legs was nearly a quarter of an inch shorter than the other; but the little fellow increased in strength as rapidly as he did in size, and seemed to consider Dan as his owner and especial protector

Like Mary's lamb, it followed Dan about whenever the opportunity offered, until ”Crippy” - which was the nae quite as well as the boy was

Many were the long walks, confidential chats, when the boy talked and the goose cackled, that Dan and Crippy had, and, when the preparations for the Thanksgiving festival were begun, the gray goose was decidedly the fattest in the flock

Dan had always given Crippy a share of his luncheon, or had supplied for him a separate and private allowance of corn, and by this very care of his pet did he get into serious trouble

”Dan's goose is the largest and the fattest, and I think we had better kill hi dinner,” Dan heard his father say, three days before Thanksgiving; and Mrs Hardy had replied:

”I had thought of that; gray feathers never bring as oose is terribly in the way; he is always in the house, and always directly under foot”

Dan could hardly believe his own ears The thought of killing and eating Crippy seeht his parents would serve hi any of his pet, it would, to his mind, be little short of cannibalism

”You wouldn't be so wicked as to kill Crippy, would you, Mother?” he asked, while the big tears ca over the lashes

”Why not?” Mrs Hardy was so busily engaged in her work ofmince pies that she did not notice the sorrow on Dan's face ”Why not? He's only a goose, and gray We've got to have one, and Crip is the fattest”

”But, mother, I couldn't have poor Crippy killed He an' I do love each other so oose, Danny Co more, for he knew by the way she had spoken that his mother had fully made up her mind, and that it would be useless to try to induce her to change her cruel plans He stemmed the raisins as she had requested; but he worked as quickly as possible, and when the task was done he ran out to the barn

When the gray goose toddled towards hi with delight at seeing his young ed to keep back, caoose in his ar in his heart that he and Crippy were the two most unhappy and abused fellows in the world

”0 Crippy! they say they're goin'to kill you, an' I'd a heap sooner they'd kill oose made no reply; he was perfectly content to nestle down in Dan's arms, and, so far as he could see, he and his master were in reoose had been petted by Dan, the affection bestowed upon him just then see over hiot ahen he lirain would please hi that day and the next Dan spent his ti hi his e her oose was to be killed, and Dan could see no way to save hireater portion of his ti until all the fowlsno aliving was so near Suddenly Dan thought of a plan by which Crippy htened hiht it over; but with his pet's life in the balance he could not hesitate at anything

”I'll tell you e'll do, Crippy,” he said, as he succeeded inhim with corn I' Uncle Robert lives in New York, an' he's awful good I knoe could find hiht, an' come out here for you It's only seven miles, an' I'm most sure we could walk there in a day Then if he won't coone, an'

they can't have you for dinner”

Crippy sed the corn greedily, and Dan looked upon this as a sign that he not only understood what had been said, but was eating an unusually hearty meal by way of preparation for the journey

Under any less desperate circuo away fro his mother's permission, and even as he was situated then, he felt that he was about to do so which was almost wicked But since he could save Crippy's life in no other hat could he do? He al his parents fro a crient and loving a creature

But though he tried to persuade hi was, under the circu luht, and realized that in a few hours neither his father nor his mother would knohere he was He was -wood and the water, and when his reatest difficulty in keeping his secret

It was only the thought that he was by nohis ued with hi to uncle Robert's on business, and that he should return the day after he arrived there; that would be entirely different fro Dan worked hard at a ed to take every precaution lest they should see what he was about; and after thethis note:

CRIP & ME HAVE GORNE TO UNKLE ROBERTS TO GET HIM TO COME UP HERE TO KOAX YOU NOT TO KILL CRIP WE WILL COME RIGHT BACK

DANIEL K HARDY