78 WILD SCENES AND SONG-BIRDS. 



"You 'ain't found any mocking bird's nest yet have you ?" 



I could not help reddening for the life of me, and an- 

 swered sharply 



" I have told you there are no mocking birds' nests about 

 here to find. What put that into your head, you scamp ?" 



" O, nothin' at all ! What was you lookin' at so,, down 

 thar in the thorn bushes ?" 



" Pshaw ! You'd better go and see, you silly fellow ! I 

 find a great many things to look at. I have stood for an 

 hour over an ant-hill. You'd better follow my trail, if you 

 like such amusement !" 



" Drat if I don't go and see what's in them 'ar thorn 

 trees ! I believe they is somethin' thar mor'n a ant-hill ?" 



I could have strangled the pertinacious little ruffian ; and 

 it required a very great struggle for me to contain myself; 

 for I well knew that if I let my excitement be seen, the case 

 was a hopeless one from that instant ; for nothing could save 

 my mocking bird's nest then, as they would be sure to de- 

 stroy it in sheer wantonness. I answered as coolly as I 

 could 



" Well, go ahead youngster ; you'll be apt to find a bag of 

 dollars, no doubt !" 



I was now seriously alarmed, and never, as I flattered my- 

 self, exerted greater ingenuity or more consummate tact, than 

 in my efforts this morning, to turn aside suspicion from those 

 unlucky thorn trees. I put them on half-a-dozen different 

 scents, and offered such rewards as I thought would ensure 

 the direction of their inquisitive activity toward other ob- 

 jects. 



Our foray against the poor squirrels was successful, and I 

 managed that my youthful inquisitor should get one of them, 

 and in every way endeavored to propitiate him. I saw he 

 had got it into his head that I was afraid of him, on account 

 of something or other I had found in those thorns, and knew 

 that his malicious love of mischief was only equalled by his 

 inquisitive and suspicious temper. My only hope, therefore, 



