24 IN THE GREEN LEAF 



44 Well, I am going to try it ; there goes the 

 bit of web ; you see I have not touched the 

 young -ones." 



.- :" It doan't matter, she'll pisen the lot afore 

 marnin'." 



. As this was in a conservatory where the bird 

 entered from one of the air-holes, I locked the 

 place up in the afternoon, placing the key in 

 my pocket, being quite certain no one except 

 the bird could enter it before ten o'clock next 

 morning. When I paid my visit then the 

 young birds were dead and cold ; not a mark 

 on them anywhere, and the old bird was gone. 

 So; the boy had the satisfaction of seeing his 

 words proved. This is not a solitary instance ; 

 but one out of many. One cottage where I 

 lodged for a time had a small orchard attached 

 to it. As I was passing through one afternoon, 

 I saw the whole of my landlord's family, a boy, 

 aged thirteen, and two girls, aged respectively 

 eleven and nine, in very close confabulation 

 under one of the old apple-trees. On nearing 

 them, the boy told me they were thinking 

 about taking a goldfinch's nest that was in the 

 tree, if the young were "fit." 

 . '" I thinks they be, an' I hopes they be, fur if 

 they ain't, an' my han' ony tiches the nest, the 



