pork."But she was very much interested," he says, his specs shinin’ with joy. "When she found out what I was busy with she was _very_ much interested, really. She is a lady of family, too."

"She _is_?" I sings out. "What are you talkin’ about? She’s an old maid and an only child besides, and—"

"Hush up, Skipper," orders Jacobs. "Go on, Pullet—Mr. Beanblossom, I mean—go on."

So on went Pullet, both wings flappin’. Letitia and he had talked "family" to beat the cars. She had ’most everything in the Villa except a family tree. She must have one right away. She simply must.

"And I am to help her in preparin’ it," says Pullet, puffed up and vainglorious. "The Pendlebury family tree will be an honor to prepare. Of course it will require much labor and research, but I shall enjoy doing it. I told her so. Her father would have prepared one himself, had often spoken of it, but he was a very busy man of affairs and lacked the time."

My, but I was mad! I cal’late if I had a marlinspike handy our coop would have been a Pullet short. But Jim Henry Jacobs was so full of tickle he couldn’t keep still. He fairly dragged me into the back room.

"Skipper," he says, "here it is at last! We’ve got it!"

"Yes," I sputters, thinkin’ he was referrin’ to Beanblossom, "we’ve got it; and, if you ask me, I’d tell you we’d ought to chloroform it afore it does any more harm."

"No, no," he says, "you don’t understand. We’ve got the old girl’s weak p’int at last. It’s genealogy. Pullet shall grow her a family tree if I have to buy a carload of fertilizer to-morrer. Think of it! think of it! Why, she won’t give him a minute’s rest from now on. She’ll be after him the whole time."

"But I can’t see where the trade comes in," says I.

"You _can’t_! With our senior pardner head forester? My boy, if any other shop sells Pendlebury Villa a dollar’s worth after this, I’ll Fletcherize my hat, that’s all!"

He knew what he was talkin’ about, as usual. The very next forenoon Letitia was in to consult with Pullet about huntin’ up her family records. Afore she left Jacobs took orders for thirty-two dollars’ worth and I’d have bet she didn’t know a thing she bought. After dinner, Jim Henry sent Pullet up to see her. He stayed until supper time. Next day he had supper at the Villa. A week later he made his first 

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