

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 v -; 

 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 

 iloudly, 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 thel 

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

 nest. Soon after that the male bird disappeared. L 

 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 havef 

 grown weary at sight of the second lot of five| 

 eggs, of the long days and the neglect that theyj 

 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. 









