BOYHOOD AND BIRDS. 83 



" Never mind, dear ; let us try the fairy's spell I have 

 faith in it." 



" Do tell me what it is you are going to do. Birds will 

 only feed their own young ones, and they have enough to 

 do to attend to them. What can your fairy do, unless she 

 takes care of them herself?" 



I laughed, and making a low bow of mock courtesy, ex- 

 claimed 



"Why, how could it be surprising if she did? Has not 

 their new life commenced already in the bosom of one fairy ? 

 At least would not Mr. A. B. C. what letter is it? say so?" 



" Pshaw ! Do, brother, hush this nonsense, and tell me 

 what you mean to do ?" 



" You shall see ! Come, jump down." 



We were at home, and we passed hurriedly into the garden. 

 I called a little brother to join us, in a moment we were all 

 three standing beneath the eaves of the summer-house. 

 There was a small hole in the cornice of the eave, and I knew 

 that in this a pair of blue birds had nested, and supposed 

 that they must be just about hatched now. My sister stood 

 watching my proceedings with great anxiety, for they were 

 entirely mysterious to her. She saw me take my little 

 brother aside, and whisper my directions to him ; then the 

 little fellow prepare to climb up the columns of the summer- 

 house, and with my assistance reach the cornice. His little 

 hand was inserted into the hole, and with the greatest care 

 not to touch either the sides of the hole or the nest within, 

 he daintily plucks out the young ones, one by one, and hands 

 them down to me. They are the same age with the mock- 

 ing birds, but smaller. 



" Now, Sis, give me those little ones; and hurry, dear, for 

 I am afraid the old ones, who have gone out for food, will 

 come back." 



She is so flurried she does not realize what I am about to 

 do, but hastily places the young birds, now warm and fully 

 alive, in my hand. They are reached to my brother. 



