For many weeks Eileen and Larry kept the Secret. They told no one but
Dennis and Grannie Malone, and they both promised they would never,
never tell.
Mr McQueen worked hard--early and late--over his turnips and cabbages
and potatoes, and Larry and Eileen helped by feeding the pig and
chickens, and driving the cows along the roadsides, where they could get
fresh sweet grass to eat.
One evening Mr McQueen said to his wife. "Rent-day comes soon, and
next week will be the Fair."
Larry and Eileen heard him say it. They looked at each other and then
Eileen went to her Father and said, "Dada, will you take Larry and me to
the Fair with you? We want to sell our pig."
"_You_ sell your pig!" cried Mr McQueen. "You mean you want to sell it
_yourselves_?"
"You can help us," Eileen answered; "but it's our pig and we want to
sell it, don't we, Larry?"
Larry nodded his head up and down very hard with his mouth tight shut.
He was so afraid the Secret would jump out of it!
"Well, I never heard the likes of that!" said McQueen. He slapped his
knee and laughed.
"We've got it all planned," said Eileen. She was almost ready to cry
because her Father laughed at her. "We've fed the pig and fed her,
until she's so fat she can hardly walk, and we are going to wash her
clean, and I have a ribbon to tie on her ear. Diddy will look so fine
and stylish, I'm sure some one will want to buy her!"
Mrs McQueen was just setting away a pan of milk. She stopped with the
pan in her hand.
"Leave them go," she said.