CARDINAL: MY FIRST CAGED BIRD 21 



out to look for him, with hltlc lu>po of finding him, fur 

 there were foxes in tliat place — a family of cubs which 

 I had seen — and, worse still, the large blood-thirsty black 

 weasels of that country. But no sooner was I at the 

 spot where I had lost him tlian I was greeted with his 

 loud note. And there he was, hopping out from among 

 the thistles, a most forlorn-looking object, his plumage 

 wet anil draggled, and his feet thickly covered with wet 

 clay! And he was glad to see mc! As soon as I put 

 the cage down he came straight to it and, without a 

 moment's hesitation, hopped in and began feasting on 

 the seed. 



It was a happy ending. My bird had had a lesson 

 which he would not forget ; there would be no more 

 tugging at the wires, nor would he ever wish to be free 

 again. So I imagined. But I was wrong. From that 

 time the bird's disposition was changed: ever in a rest- 

 less anxious state, he would flit from side to side of his 

 cage, chirping loudly, but never singing — never one note; 

 the gladness that had made him sing so wonderfully had 

 quite gone out of him. And invariably, after hopping 

 about for a few moments, he would go back to the 

 wire which had been loosened and bent — the one weak 

 spot which was now repaired — and tug at and shake it 

 again. And at last, greatly to my surprise, he actually 

 succeeded in bending the same wire once more and mak- 

 ing his escape ! 



Once more I went to look for him with the cage in 

 my hand, but when I found him he refused to be tempted. 

 I left him for a day to starve, then tried him again; 



