130 A WIDOW AND TWINS. 



him back, however, and shortly after seven 

 o'clock I found him comfortably disposed 

 for the night. "He is now on his twenty- 

 first day (at least) in the nest. To-morrow 

 will see him go." So end my day's notes. 



At 5.45 the next morning he was still 

 there. At 6.20 I absented myself for a few 

 minutes, and on returning was hailed by my 

 neighbor with the news that the nest was 

 empty. Number Two had flown between 

 6.25 and 6.30, but, unhappily, neither of us 

 was at hand to give him a cheer. I trust 

 that he and his mother were not hurt in their 

 feelings by the oversight. The whole family 

 (minus the father) was still in the apple- 

 tree ; the mother full, and more than full, of 

 business, feeding one youngster after the 

 other, as they sat here and there in the up- 

 per branches. 



Twenty-four hours later, as I stood in the 

 orchard, I heard a hum of wings, and found 

 the mother over my head. Presently she 

 flew into the top of the tree, and the next 

 instant was sitting beside one of the young 

 ones. His hungry mouth was already wide 

 open, but before feeding him she started up 

 from the twig, and circled about him so 



