LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT. 41 



upper branch of the tree. What a contrast she 

 was to the quiet dove ! With many flirts of the 

 tail she hopped down to the nest, jumping from 

 branch to branch as if tripping down a pair of 

 stairs. When she dropped into her deep cup 

 her small head stuck up over one edge, her long 

 tail pointed over the other. 1 



I looked awa} r a moment, and on glancing back 

 found the nest empty. On the instant, however, 

 came the sound of my small friend's voice. Such 

 a talkative little person ! — not one of your creep- 

 in-and-out-of-the-nest-without-any body's - knowing- 

 it kind of a bird, not she ! Her remarks sounded 

 as if made over my head, and when Billy stamped 

 about the brush and rapped the saddle trying to 

 switch off flies, I imagined guiltily that they were 

 addressed to me ; but while I wondered if she 

 would keep away all the rest of the morning be- 

 cause she had discovered me, back she came, talk- 

 ing to herself in complaining tones and whipping 

 her tail impatiently, even after she stood on the 

 edge of the nest, evidently absorbed in her own 

 affairs, quite to the exclusion of the person down 

 in the brush who thought herself so important ! 



My doves were attending to me, however, alto- 

 gether too much. The brooding bird was anxious 

 to go to her nest. After flying out where she 



1 As this little pair dressed like twins, I could only infer 

 which was which from the song- and the actions of the two, 

 which were quite distinct. 



