iWttcift ^no atiout :5<rotJitno 115 



a few seconds were back in the old 

 elm. 



" Bravo/' cried their leader. " When 

 we get our wind, we will be off for a 

 longer flight. I think I will take you all 

 up the river a mile or two to an island 

 where there is always a good supply of 

 weed seed this time of year. We can 

 make a good meal there. Are you ready ? 

 This is a longer flight." 



*' Ready,'* piped a score of voices. 

 " Fly," shrilled the leader, and the black 

 cloud rose again, and with the whir of 

 many wings was off. 



I strained eyes and ears after the flying 

 cloud, and as long as I could see them, 

 could hear the discordant piping. It was 

 a safe prediction that their chairman had 

 made. 



The voice of the grackle never would 

 be musical. I was convinced of that. 



