MARSH CRADLES 
the doorway. A gentle shaking failed to 
start any. A finger put cautiously in found 
it empty. The other two had either been 
stolen or had flown the day before and were 
hidden in the grass. We searched as best 
we might and could find no trace of them, 
nor did we see them with the old ‘birds 
afterwards, although we kept watch for days. 
Then we remembered having passed a large 
water-snake coiled up on the bank not far 
from the nest with a_half-swallowed bird 
sticking out of his mouth. So disgusting 
was the sight that I had hurried by without 
investigating, never dreaming it might be 
one of my baby wrens. 
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