THE PALACE IN THE PIG-PEN 57 



their wings before this feat could be accomplished, 

 and so fall to the pig below. But Nature, in this case, 

 was careful of her pearls. Day after day they clung 

 to the nest, even after they might have flown ; and 

 when they did go, it was with a sure and long flight 

 that carried them out and away to the tops of the 

 neighboring trees. 



They left the nest one at a time and were met in 

 the air by their mother, who, darting to them, calling 

 loudly, and, whirling about them, helped them as 

 high and as far away as they could go. 



I wish the simple record of these family affairs 

 could be closed without one tragic entry. But that 

 can rarely be of any family. Seven days after the 

 first brood were awing, I found the new eggs in the 

 nest. Soon after that the male bird disappeared. 

 The second brood had now been out a week, and in 

 all that time no sight or sound was had of the father. 



What happened? Was he killed? Caught by a 

 cat or a hawk ? It is possible ; and this is an easy and 

 kindly way to think of him. It is not impossible that 

 he may have remained as leader and protector to the 

 first brood ; or (perish the thought !) might he have 

 grown weary at sight of the second lot of five 

 eggs, of the long days and the neglect that they 

 meant for him, and out of jealousy and fickleness 

 wickedly deserted? 



I hope it was death, a stainless, even ignominious 

 death by one of my neighbor's many cats. 



