Robert Wbite, Jr. 313 



They had sufficiently recovered to think about 

 breakfast, and Robert himself was leading toward 

 the best spot in the stubble, when there sounded a 

 strange whistle. Never had he heard the like, so 

 he paused to hear more. None of his family ever 

 attempted anything of the kind, for this sound was 

 shrill, trembly, and long-sustained. He was full of 

 curiosity to learn the cause of it, but before he could 

 decide what to do a quick rustling ahead warned 

 him, and he crouched ready to spring. The rus- 

 tling slowly approached, then abruptly ceased. Un- 

 certain as to its cause, Robert raised a trifle and 

 peered nervously ahead. What he saw almost caused 

 his heart to stand still. Some new kind of monster, 

 black and white, and rather small for a monster, was 

 standing perfectly still a few yards away. He knew 

 the thing was alive, for he could see two staring 

 eyes, which, however, were not looking at him. 

 For many seconds the strange thing remained mo- 

 tionless and he was sorely puzzled. That the thing 

 meant mischief he felt, but he could not understand 

 its method, for what sort of way was it for any dan- 

 gerous thing to stand still in plain view? His be- 

 wilderment was abruptly ended. 



The other monster surely was coming! He could 

 hear the thud-thudding, and presently the dreaded 

 noise, something like what he had heard before. 

 To our ears this noise would have meant " Steady, 

 you beauty ! Take the birds to the right, Jim. It's 

 a bevy, sure ! " 



From just behind Robert heard Mother White's 

 low purring twitter of warning, which he knew meant 

 back to the corn at full speed. For an instant he 



