chaptp:r V 



CITIZEN BIRD 



The apple trees were in full bloom the day that the 

 Doctor again found time to be with the children. It 

 was exactly the kind of a day that birds like. The 

 ground was soft enough to let the earthworms come 

 up to breathe, so that Robins could catch them easily, 

 and the air was full of all kinds of insects newly out 

 from their long winter sleep in their soft cocoon beds, 

 much to the delight of the Swallows and Flycatchers. 



It was also a beautiful day for House People to 

 watch their bird neighbors ; for it Avas mild but not 

 too bright, and every one knows how it hurts the eyes 

 to look at flying birds with the sun shining in them. 



Olive, Dodo, and Nat went out first and found Kap 

 waiting. The Doctor followed, carrying something in 

 his hand in a black leather case. When they arrived 

 at the old tree in the orchard, he told them to look up. 

 There was the perch arranged as it had been when he 

 was a boy. Not a perch for birds, but for House 

 People — narrow board seats fitted in between the 

 largest branches and a bar fastened across some of the 

 highest ones, so that it was quite safe to climb up and 

 look out of the top of the tree. The l)ranches had been 

 trimmed away here and there, so that a good view 

 could be had of what was happening elsewhere in the 

 orchard. 



48 



