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 him for the
.Thanksgiving 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 much money as
white ones, and the
goose 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 seemed
wicked. Why, he would as soon have thought his parents would serve him
up for dinner, as Crippy, and as for eating 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 came into his eyes, almost spilling over the
lashes.

"Why not?" Mrs. Hardy was so busily engaged in her work of making mince
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."