24 SHARP EYES, 



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. He 

 made no effort to escape, but planted his claws in my 

 forefinger and clung there with a grip that soon grew 

 uncomfortable. I placed him in the loft of an out- 

 house in hopes of getting better acquainted with him. 

 By day he was a very willing prisoner, scarcely mov- 

 ing at all, even when approached and touched with 

 the hand, but looking out upon the world with half- 

 closed, sleepy eyes. But at night what a change ; how 

 alert, how wild, how active! He was like another 

 bird ; he darted about with wide, fearful eyes, and re« 

 garded me like a cornered cat. I opened the window, 



' and swiftly, but as silent as a shadow, he glided out 

 into the congenial darkness, and perhaps, ere this, has 

 revenged himself upon the sleeping jay or bluebird 

 that first betrayed his hiding-place. 



