Mrs. Plymouth Rock lived in the chicken coop out by the wood-pile with her brood of eleven chicks. There were black chicks and yellow chicks, but the nicest of all was Little Yellow Chick.

Mother Hen always stayed in the coop.

The little chicks would jump out between the slats and go off through the grass and into the driveway and among the chips of the wood-pile.

When Mother Hen wanted them to come home she would call, "Cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck!" and all the little chicks would come running to the coop.

One hot summer afternoon, Mrs. Hill was sitting on the back porch mending stockings. All the big hens were scattered around the place—some in the garden, some in the cornfield, some in the farmyard—scratching for bugs and worms.

Suddenly there was a great cackling and scurrying among the fowls. Those in the garden ran and cackled, those in the cornfield ran and cackled, those in the farmyard ran and cackled. They all ran as fast as they could to the hen house.

Mrs. Hill, hearing the commotion, stood up and looked around to see what was the matter.

There in the sky coming toward the farmyard, was a large gray hen hawk.

Old Mother Hen heard the cries of the other fowls and knew there was danger, so she called her chicks to come home. "Cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck!" went Mother Hen.

All the little chicks tried to run home to the chicken coop. They ran as fast as their little short legs could carry them.

Little Yellow Chick could not run fast. He tried very hard, but stumbled over a chip near the wood-pile.

The hawk up in the sky with his sharp eye saw Little Yellow Chick and flew straight toward him.

Old Mother Hen could not help Little Yellow Chick, for she could not get out of the coop.

Mrs. Hill ran toward him, but she could not help him for she could not run fast enough.

But Rover, lying under the pine tree in the front yard, heard the commotion and came running like the wind past Mrs. Hill.

He jumped at the fierce hawk and snapped at him with his sharp white teeth, just as the hawk was swooping to pick up Little Yellow Chick.

When Mr. Hawk heard the barking and saw Rover dash towards him he forgot about wanting to eat Little Yellow Chick and flew away as fast as he could.

He flew up into the sky and over the woods and far away.

Mrs. Hill picked up Little Yellow Chick and carried him to Old Mother Hen in the coop. Old Mother Hen took him safely under her wing.

"Good dog, good dog!" said Mrs. Hill to Rover as she patted his neck.

Mrs. Hill went back to mending stockings on the porch.

But Rover lay down near the hen-coop to guard Little Yellow Chick.