180 THE COMICAL CHEBEC 



As days passed and I learned to know 

 him better, and appreciate his untiring vigi- 

 lance, I wondered that my little friend al- 

 lowed me to sit at my window so near him ; 

 and if he had really resented it, he had it in 

 his power to make it so uncomfortable for 

 me that I should have been forced to aban- 

 don my seat. He did feel some misgivings 

 about it, I am sure, for he kept a stern eye 

 upon my slightest movement, and often ex- 

 pressed his sentiments with florid eloquence 

 that unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately 

 for my peace of mind, I could not under- 

 stand. 



Sometimes my very wide-awake neighbor 

 took no notice of me, dismissed my case, if 

 I became too obvious, with a contemptuous 

 " phit ! " but again he would sit on the fence 

 ten feet from my window, crest raised, look- 

 ing fierce enough, and address a good many 

 remarks to me, which his manner forbade me 

 to consider complimentary. Once or twice 

 he came much nearer than usual, hovered 

 before my window, poised gracefully on beat- 

 ing wing, taking observation, and expressing 

 sentiments which I much fear were not alto- 



