Chicken Little Jane   By: Lily Munsell Ritchie

Chicken Little Jane

By Lily Munsell Ritchie

Publishers BARSE & HOPKINS New York, N. Y. Newark, N. J.

Copyright, 1920 By Barse & Hopkins

Adventures of Chicken Little Jane

Printed in the United States of America

"To Olive F. Y. Dart, the kind friend who first encouraged me to write, I gratefully dedicate my first book."

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. Alice and the Siege of Acre 11 II. The Millinery Store 29 III. The Duck Creek Treasure 45 IV. Chicken Little Jane and Her Mother 65 V. The Back Yard Furnace 78 VI. The Wedding 91 VII. Chicken Little Jane and Dick Harding Play Providence 108 VIII. Christmas and the Day After 131 IX. Chicken Little Jane's Gift 150 X. Skating 163 XI. Chicken Little Jane's Birthday 176 XII. Poor Ernest and Poor Marian 189 XIII. Forbidden Books and Candy Hearts 205 XIV. May Baskets 219 XV. Thunder and Gooseberry Bushes 234 XVI. Letters and a Surprise 249 XVII. Cousin May's Party 260 XVIII. The Children Go Exploring 272 XIX. Things Happen 286 XX. Off To the Ranch 298

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Until the water was dripping from noses and chins Frontispiece

Facing Page By way of reply Katy opened the book and began 20 Wiping his eyes as the puffs came thicker 80 "Give her this on the train and please carry it carefully" 154

CHICKEN LITTLE JANE

CHAPTER I

ALICE AND THE SIEGE OF ACRE

"Chicken Little! Chick en Lit tle!"

The three little girls in the fence corner looked up but no one responded.

"Chicken Little Jane !" The voice was a trifle more insistent.

The little girl in the blue gingham dress and white frilled pinafore looked at her small hostess reproachfully.

"Why don't you answer, Jane?"

"'Cause I'll have to go in. She'll think I don't hear if I keep still."

"Ja ane! I want you!" The voice was several notes higher and betrayed irritation.

"She's getting mad," said the little girl in the pink dress and white frilled pinafore sister to the blue dress. "You'd better go she's leaning out the window and she'll see us in a minute." Katy Halford was facing the house and her facts agreed with what Jane Morton knew of her mother's ways.

She got to her feet reluctantly.

"Yes m, I'm coming!" she yelled in a shrill treble. "You come, too, girls," she added in a lower tone. "Maybe she won't make me stay if I have company."

"All right let's tell her about Alice." Katy jumped up quickly.

Gertie Halford followed suit.