human
Your chin came close to fracturing your big toe, Gramps said.
gpt
Don't be licked before you are. Now you don't want to keep your own pullets 'cause you'll be breeding daughters back to their own father, and that's not for you. At least, it's not until you know more about such things. But you can trade some of yours back to the same farm where your pen came from. He'll probably ask more than bird for bird, but he'll trade and the least you can figure on is starting out this fall with a bigger flock. The rest you'd better figure on selling to Joe Haley. Now how many eggs have you been getting a day?
human
The least I've had since spring weather set in is two. The most is five.
gpt
That's all? You never got six?
human
Not yet.
gpt
Have you tried trap-nesting your hens?
human
No.
gpt
Why not?
human
I never thought of it.
gpt
You should have, Gramps said.
human
If you're going to make out with these hifalutin' chickens of yours you have to think of everything. Looks to me like you got a slacker in your flock and, though maybe she wouldn't be better off in the stew pot, you'd be better off to put her there.
gpt
That's so, Bud conceded,
human
You don't and there's no sense fussing about it now. So what else is bothering you?
gpt
I haven't got any money,
human
That, Gramps' serious eyes seemed suddenly to twinkle,
gpt
I need to build an enclosed run. I can't let my chickens run with the farm flock.
human
True, Gramps said.
gpt
High society chickens oughtn't mix with ordinary fowl. Why don't you go ahead and build your run?
human
I told you. I haven't any money for netting and staples.
gpt
Go in that little room beside the granary and you'll find a role of netting. Kite yourself down to Pat Haley's during lunch hour tomorrow, get some staples, and tell Pat to charge 'em to me.
human
But . . .
gpt
Will you let me finish? Gramps said sharply.
human
I didn't say you were going to get any part of it for free. That roll of netting cost me four dollars and sixty cents. Add to it whatever the staples cost, and since you want to save your eggs for hatching, somebody's got to buy feed for your chickens. I'll take you on until you have fryers to sell, but strictly as a business deal. Just a minute.