24 SHARP EYES. 
the fact that a culprit of some sort was hiding from 
the light of day in the old apple-tree. I heard the 
notes of warning and alarm and approached to within 
eye-shot. The bluebirds were cautious and hovered 
about uttering their peculiar twittering calls; but the 
jays were bolder and took turns looking in at the 
cavity, and deriding the poor, shrinking owl. A jay 
would alight in the entrance of the hole and flirt 
and peer and attitudinize, and then fly away crying 
“ Thief, thief, thief!” at the top of his voice. 
I climbed up and peered into the opening, and 
could just descry the owl clinging to the inside of the 
tree. I reached in and took him out, giving little 
heed to the threatening snapping of his beak. He 
was as red as a fox and as yellow-eyed asacat. He 
made no effort to escape, but planted his claws in my 
forefinger and clung there with a grip that soon grew 
uncomfortable. I placed him in the loft of an out- 
house in hopes of getting better acquainted with him. 
By day he was a very willing prisoner, scarcely mov- 
ing at all, even when approached and touched with 
the hand, but looking out upon the world with half- 
closed, sleepy eyes. But at night what a change; how 
alert, how wild, how active! He was like another 
bird ; he darted about with wide, fearful eyes, and re- 
garded me like a cornered cat. I opened the window, 
and swiftly, but as silent as a shadow, he glided out 
into the congenial darkness, and perhaps, ere this, has 
revenged himself upon the sleeping jay or bluebird 
that first betrayed his hiding-place. 
ee ee et 
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