1 66 ADVENTURES AMONG BIRDS 



she had to come to it, and after putting her hand up 

 to hide the tears that could not be kept back, she was 

 relieved, and began to speak freely of the lost child. 

 Violet was her name, and every one who knew her said 

 that no fitter name could have been given her, she was 

 so beautiful, so like a flower, with eyes that were like 

 violets. And she had the greatest love of flowers for a 

 small child. Nobody had seen anything like it. Dolls 

 and toys she didn't care for — she was all for flowers. 

 As for sense, she had as much of it as any grown-up 

 person when she was no more than five. She was a 

 most loving little thing, but cared most for her father, 

 and every evening when he came home she would fly 

 to meet him, and would sit on his knee till bedtime. 

 What talks those two had ! Now the most curious 

 thing remains to tell, and this was about both the 

 children — the way in which they would spend most of 

 their time. At that distance from the village the boy 

 was allowed, after a good deal of bother about it, to 

 learn his letters at home. If the weather was fine, 

 those two would be up and have breakfast very early, 

 then, taking their dinner in a little basket, would go to 

 the heath, and she would see no more of them till about 

 five o'clock in the afternoon. The boy was always 

 fondest of birds and animals, like his father, and was 

 happy following and watching them all day long. The 

 girl loved the flowers best, and whenever she found 

 a flower that was rare or wholly new to her she would 

 cry out with joy and make as much fuss as if she had 

 found a splendid jewel on the heath. She was a strong 



