BABIES SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. 169 



pied, and the winsome song of the warbler came 

 from another part of the wood. 



We found him, indeed, so often near this 

 particular place, a worse tangle, if possible, than 

 the other, that we suspected they had set up their 

 household gods here. Many times did my friend 

 and her dog work their way through it, while I 

 waited outside, and considered the admirable 

 tactics of the wary warbler. The search was 

 without result. 



Weeks passed, but though other birds inter- 

 ested us, and filled our days with pleasure, my 

 comrade never ceased longing to find the elusive 

 nest of that blue warbler, and our revenge came 

 at last. Nests may be deserted, little brown 

 spouses may be hidden under green leaves, home- 

 steads may be so cunningly placed that one can- 

 not find them, but baby birds cannot be con- 

 cealed. They will speak for themselves; they 

 will get out of the nest before they can fly ; they 

 will scramble about, careless of being seen ; and 

 such is the devotion of parents that they must 

 and will follow all these vagaries, and thus give 

 their precious secret to whoever has eyes to see. 



One day I came alone into the woods, and as 

 I reached a certain place, sauntering along in 

 perfect silence, I evidently surprised somebody, 

 for I was saluted by low "smacks " and I caught 

 glimpses of two birds who dived into the jewel- 



