110 THE VEERY MOTHER. 



say, "You thought I was carrying that morsel 

 to somebody, but you see I have eaten it myself ; 

 there 's nothing up that path." But much as 

 I respected the dear mother, I did not believe 

 her eloquent demonstration. I selected another 

 point where I could stop a minute, and picked 

 my way to it. Then all my poor little bird's 

 philosophy deserted her ; she came close to me, 

 she uttered the greatest variety of cries ; she al- 

 most begged me to believe that she was the only 

 living creature up that gully. And so much 

 did she move me, so intolerably brutal did she 

 make me feel, that for the second time I was 

 very near to turning back. 



But the cry began again. How could I miss 

 so good a chance to see that tawny youngster, 

 when I knew I should not lay finger on it? I 

 hardened my heart, and struggled a few feet 

 further. 



Then some of the neighbors came to see what 

 was the trouble, and if they could do anything 

 about it. A black-and-white creeper rose from 

 a low bush with a surprised "chit-it-it-it," 

 alighted on a tree and ran glibly up the upright 

 branch as though it were a ladder. But a 

 glance at the "cause of all this woe" was more 

 than his courage could endure ; one cry escaped 

 him, and then a streak of black and white passed 

 over the road out of sight. 



