HOW THE GRASS GREW 39 



lawn. I ought to know, because I am one of them 

 that he dropped." 



" Yes, we are some that he dropped," said all 

 the little Beech trees in chorus. v***^*^ 



" Then," said Rattle, bowing 

 politely to the Jay, with one 

 hand on his heart, " I will 

 say that / did not suck 

 your eggs. It was Kaw- 

 Ondaig, the lame-winged 

 Crow, who did it. I saw him 

 this morning when I was 

 leaping through the treetops 

 for exercise. But you need not make such a 

 fuss about it, Tchin, for you know those eggs 

 would never have hatched, because you arid your 

 wife let them grow cold yesterday, while you 

 were worrying that Warbler who wished to build 

 on the ground under your tree. Poor Kaw is 

 old and feeble and cannot go out with the flock 

 down to the cornfields, or over to the shore for 

 mussels. Think twice before you try to make a 

 fight over bad eggs, friend Tchin I " 



Tommy-Anne asked the Jay, after he had 

 grown quiet, if he could introduce her to any 

 birds of his acquaintance and tell her where 

 they nested. He, however, seemed to be very 



