184 THE VAGARIES OF A WARBLER. 



"Yes; but see what's going on," she added, 

 excitedly. 



"I see," I replied; "there is a young bird on 

 the edge of the nest and its mother is feeding 

 it; " and I was about to lower my glass and ask 

 what there was surprising about that, when she 

 went on : — 



" Keep looking ! There ! Who 's that ? " 



"Why that 's — why — that 's a chestnut- 

 sided warbler ! and — what ? — he feeds the 

 same baby! " I gasped, interested now as much 

 as she. 



"There !" she exclaimed, triumphantly, "I 

 wanted you to see that with your own eyes, since 

 you scorn to look at the warblers. He has been 

 doing that ever since I left you. I could n't 

 bear to let him out of my sight !" 



At that moment the warbler appeared again, 

 and the wise redstart baby, who at least knew 

 enough to take a good thing when it offered, 

 opened his ever-ready mouth for the bit of a 

 worm he brought. 



But lo ! Madam, who had flown the moment 

 before, returned in hot haste, and flung herseK 

 upon that small philanthropist as if he had 

 brought poison ; he vanished. 



Here was indeed a queer complication! It 

 was a redstart nest without doubt, but who 

 owned the baby? If he were a redstart, why 



