ASPETTJCK 87 



of them, nearly twenty feet from the ground, 

 there was a hollow, from which was sticking some 

 ends of grass and feathers. 



"The nest is in there," said Obi, rather by 

 signs than words. 



" No," signalled Tommy- Anne, " the place is 

 too small for a duck to live." 



" She lives there, all the same," nodded Obi. 



" How will she ever get the ducklings down ? 

 They will break their necks." 



This time Obi only answered by putting his 

 finger to his lips, for then something happened. 

 A beautiful plump Duck (with a gray head and 

 neck, a small shining green crest, brown back, 

 and mottled gray breast) flew along, giving a 

 cry that sounded like peek-peek oe-eek ! and dis- 

 appeared in the hollow branch. 



" Is that the father duck? " 



44 No," whispered Obi ; " the father is twenty 

 times handsomer, all red and purple and green, 

 with a long cockatoo on his head ; but he is a 

 selfish pig, and goes off as soon as the eggs are 

 laid; he doesn't like babies." 



While they were whispering, half of a smooth 

 clay-coloured egg-shell rolled out of the hole, 

 and the mother appeared holding a downy duck- 

 ling in her beak. She climbed with her sharp 



