58 CITIZEN BIRD 



Crows and Blackbirds were wdcked birds that ate up 

 grain and corn, for the miller always puts up scarecrows 

 to keep them away." 



But before the Doctor could answer the children 

 caught siglit of Mammy Bun coming down from the 

 house carrying a tray. Upon this was a pitcher, some 

 glasses, and a plate full of cakes, which, when she came 

 under the tree, they saw were delicious-looking buns, 

 as light and brown as good yeast and careful baking 

 could make them. 



"Ah, mammy, mammy," cried Oliv^e, Dodo, and Nat 

 together, " how did you know that we should be hungry 

 now, and we are simply famishing ? " 



'•' Well, honeys, I jess guessed it, I reck'n. I know'd 

 massa was a-learnin' you'uns suffin', and it allers 'peared 

 to me that learnin' was mighty empty work. I know'd 

 Massa Doctor was never a one to keep his patients hol- 

 ler, and least his own folks ! " Mannny gave a big 

 comfortable laugh as the Doctor took the tray from 

 her hands and the childi-en thanked her heartily, while 

 little Raj) smiled hopefully on seeing that there Avere 

 six buns on the plate — that meant one for each and 

 two for the Doctor, he thought. 



'^ No one can make such buns as mammy," said Olive, 

 old as she was breaking hers in half, to hnd the lump 

 of sugar soaked with lemon juice that she knew w^as 

 inside. " She used to make them for me when I was a 

 little girl ; that is Avh}" I named her jNIamni}' Bun, and 

 we've called her that ever since." 



" I thought it was a funny name," said Rap. 



'* One for each of us, and one for the dish," said 

 Olive, passing the plate around. 



