An Old Friend in a New Home 



have. Finally he gave up and at Mr. Phoebe's 

 suggestion crept down the bank to the very edge 

 of the Laughing Brook. Dear Me darted out to 

 catch another fly, then flew right in under the 

 bridge and alighted on a little ledge of stone just 

 beneath the floor. There, sure enough, was a 

 nest, and Peter could see Mrs. Phoebe's bill and 

 the top of her head above the edge of it. It was 

 a nest with a foundation of mud covered with 

 moss and lined with feathers. 

 [ "That's perfectly splendid!" cried Peter, as 

 Dear Me resumed his perch on the old mullein 

 stalk. "How did you ever come to think of such 

 a place ? And why did you leave the shed up at 

 Farmer Brown's where you have built your home 

 for the last two or three years ?" 



"Oh," replied Dear Me, "we Phcebes always 

 have been fond of building under bridges. You 

 see a place like this is quite safe. Then, too, we 

 like to be near water. Always there are many 

 insects flying around where there is water, so it 

 is an easy matter to get plenty to eat. I left 

 the shed at Farmer Brown's because that pesky 

 cat up there discovered our nest last year, and we 

 had a dreadful time keeping our babies out of 

 her clutches. She hasn't found us down here, 

 and she wouldn't be able to trouble us if she 

 should find us." 



[41] 



