216 TWO LITTLE DRUMMERS. 



dash over him by turning the tables and sweep- 

 ing over the lofty head of the astonished robin, 

 who ducked ingloriously, in his surprise, and 

 called out, "Tut! tut!" as who should say, 

 "Can such things be?" After that Master 

 Robin undertook a closer surveillance of that 

 highway the fence, and might be seen at all hours 

 perched on the tall gatepost, looking out for 

 callers in brilliant array, or running along its 

 whole length to see that no wily woodpecker 

 was hiding in the bushes. He could not be on 

 guard every moment, for his nursery up under 

 the eaves of the barn was full of clamorous ba- 

 bies, and he w^as obliged to give some attention 

 to them ; but the red-head was not afraid of him, 

 and, finding the fruit to his taste, he soon be- 

 came a daily guest. 



Sometimes the spouse of the gay little fellow 

 came also. She was always greeted by a low- 

 whispered "kr-r-r," and the husky -toned con- 

 versation between the two was kept up so long 

 as both were there. Now, too, as the male be- 

 gan to feel at home, I saw more of his odd ways. 

 His attitudes were especially comical. Some- 

 times he clung to the edge of the top board, 

 his tail pressed against it, his wings drooped 

 and spread a little, exposing his whole back, and 

 thus remained for perhaps ten minutes. Again 

 he flattened himself out on top of a post for a 



