“Nothing has hurt it,”’ volunteered the driver; 
“it’s just drunk, that’s all. It has been eating 
china-berries. Wish I had a dozen like it,’ he 
added with energy; “they get mighty fat down 
here and are powerful good to eat.” 
‘““How shocking of you to talk that way!” 
exclaimed the lady, examining him critically 
through her lorgnette. 
IV 
WHEN spring came Longtoe, of course, started 
north, just as all migratory birds do at that 
season of the year. He was now a fine, hand- 
some, red-breasted fellow, and was sure to find a 
nice mate when he returned to his summer home. 
The long rear toe-nail that Billy’s father had 
kindly trimmed had grown out again and was 
even longer than before. Sticking out as it did, 
it sometimes caught on twigs when he was least 
expecting it, and once or twice nearly gave him 
a tumble when he started to fly suddenly. 
~ On the long trip north he flew mostly by night, 
for in the daytime he must gather his food. He 
stopped at several places he had visited early in 
v1 
