CHAP. ii. YOUNG SPARROWS AT SCHOOL. 33 



" Chirrup I chirrup ! " Before the master could 

 get the words " What's that ? " out of his mouth, the 

 birds themselves answered him by leaving their nest 

 and fluttering round the schoolroom, the boys run- 

 ning after them! "Silence! Back to your seats!" 

 cried the master. There was now stillness in the 

 school, except the fluttering of the birds. 



The culprit was called to the front. "This is 

 more of your work, Edward, is it not ? " " Yes, sir." 

 " And did I not tell you to bring no more of these 

 things here." "Yes, sir; but I only got them on 

 my way up, or I wouldn't have brought them here." 

 " I don't believe it," said the master. " Yes, it's true, 

 it's true," shouted some of the scholars. " Silence ! 

 How do you know ? " " We saw him harry in* the 

 nest as we came up School Hill." " How ? " " He 

 was on the top of a long ladder takin' the nest oot o' 

 a spoot." " Well, sir," he said to Edward, " you are 

 one of the most daring and determined little fellows 

 that I have ever heard of. It seems you will follow 

 nobody's advice. If you do not give up your tricks, 

 you will some day fall and break your neck. But as 

 you have told me the truth, I will forgive you this 

 once. But remember ! it's the last time. Now go, 

 collect your birds, and take them away ! " 



Edward groped about to collect the birds, but few 

 of them were left. The windows having been let 

 down, they had all escaped except one. He got that 

 one, and descended to the street. There he recovered 



D 



