TWO BIRDS THAT CAME BACK 103 
suddenly deciding that it would, it signalled to the clear, 
cool, northwest wind to blow and chase away the vapours 
that made the clouds too heavy. 
By the time Tommy Todd’s father came in, carrying 
two milk-pails, Tommy following with a third, there was 
promise of a fine crisp autumn day, and Grandpa Todd, 
who had decided a week before, on his eightieth birthday, 
that he would give up milking, at least for the winter, 
came into the well-porch, and scanning the sky carefully, 
with an air of authority, said: “‘To-night we’ll have hard 
frost if the wind drops. We’d better get in those cheese 
pumpkins jest as soon’s they’re dried off. Robins and 
Blackbirds flockin’ powerful strong, and old Chief Crow 
has brung his flock clear down to the ten-acre lot already.”’ 
Old Chief was the name that Grandpa Todd had given 
to a particularly wise bird, whom he insisted was twenty- 
five years old at the least, who was master of the roost in 
the cedar woods and, by his wise guidance, kept his flock 
the largest in the township, in spite of all the efforts of 
the farmers, hired men, and boys in the vicinity to drive 
them out. 
There, also, on the slope south of the house, were fully 
half a hundred Robins pluming themselves, shaking their 
feathers out to dry, and acting in every way like travellers 
pausing on a journey, rather than residents going out for a 
stroll. 
Tommy had paused to look at them, balancing the pail 
carefully as he did so, and then the sight of the birds re- 
minded him that it was the day to go up to “ the General’s,”’ 
and he hurried in to eat his breakfast and finish the 
Saturday morning “chores” that he always did for his 
