The Adventures of Tommy Titmouse 
tried to follow all of them and help 
them to get food and to look after them, 
but they very soon had to give it up 
as a bad job; because they were all 
so pleased at having at last a little 
elbow-room that the world wasn’t big 
enough for them, and they scattered 
in all directions, and gave themselves 
airs, for each one thought itself quite 
grown up and capable of looking after 
itself. You see they were all cheeky, as 
cheeky as cheeky could be. But Tommy 
was cheekier than all his cheeky brothers 
and sisters put together. 
He really was quite handsome, too. 
His eyes were just like little black 
beads—only they were living beads, you 
know, and sparkling with fun and 
mischief and the delight of being alive. 
He thought the world was a very fine 
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