50 LOCUSTS AND WILD HONEY 



apple-tree near my house. How they found the owl 

 out is a mystery, since it never ventures forth in the 

 light of day; but they did, and proclaimed the fact 

 with great emphasis. I suspect the bluebirds first 

 told them, for these birds are constantly peeping into 

 holes and crannies, both spring and fall. Some un- 

 suspecting bird probably entered the cavity prospect- 

 ing for a place for next year's nest, or else looking 

 out a likely place to pass a cold night, when it has 

 rushed out with important news. A boy who should 

 unwittingly venture into a bear's den when Bruin 

 was at home could not be more astonished and 

 alarmed than a bluebird would be on finding itself 

 in the cavity of a deca3'^ed tree with an owl. At any 

 rate, the bluebirds joined the jays in calling the 

 attention of all whom it might concern to the fact 

 that a culprit of some sort was hiding from the light 

 of day in the old apple-tree, I heard the notes of 

 warning and alarm and approached to within eye- 

 shot. The bluebirds were cautious and hovered about 

 uttering their peculiar twittering calls; but the jays 

 were bolder and took turns looking in at the cavity, 

 and deriding the poor, shrinking owl. A jay would 

 alight in the entrance of the hole, and flirt and peer 

 and attitudinize, and then fly away crying "Thief, 

 thief, thief ! " at the top of his voice. 



I climbed up and peered into the opening, and 

 could just descry the owl clinging to the inside of 

 the tree. I reached in and took him out, giving 

 little heed to the threatening snapping of his beak. 

 He was as red as a fox and as yellow-eyed as a cat. 



