82 WILD SCENES AND SONG-BIRDS. 



of boys have tried to baffle me, as I feared they would but 

 IVe set my heart on this, and do not mean to be baffled !" 



" Well, brother, I do hope you may succeed, but how 

 could they have come here on this piece of carpet do you 

 think?" 



" Why, I expect one of those youngsters who saw me 

 looking at the nest the morning I found it, has been here 

 and discovered it too, and in his anxiety to secure the re- 

 wards offered by his sisters, probably, and his desire to 

 spite me, he has only been content to wait till they were out 

 of the egg, when he has carried them off to his sister, and 

 claimed his ginger-bread. She has had compassion enough 

 to make him take them back, and the stupid Oaf, having de- 

 stroyed the nest, has left them here in this characteristic 

 fashion." 



We afterwards heard that this was just how it had occur- 

 red. The little things being deposited in their soft, white 

 nest, I mounted, and we returned immediately home. My 

 sister was immensely inquisitive to know what my new idea 

 might be, but partly to tease her for her doubts, and partly 

 because I was by no means sure of my own success, and re- 

 membered the lesson about arrogance I had lately received, 

 I would give her no satisfaction beyond saying that I was 

 going to try a spell that a fairy in the form of a little bird had 

 taught me, by which I could make any birds I chose, that 

 had nests, take care of such little orphans as these. She was 

 incredulous but my only answer was 



"You shall see!" 



"I suppose I shall, if it happens ; but is it not cruel too 

 cruel, for you. to be making foolish experiments upon the 

 lives of these little things. I can feel them moving now." 



" What ? would you have me kill them while there is a 

 a hope ? 



" You should have let them die while they were insensible 

 to pain. Now they've got to get over it all again, and worse 

 too, for now they'll die of hunger I" 



