12 More Tales of the Birds 



"And mind you do it gently, Bill," said the 

 old parson, "or the Lord won't love you any 

 more ! " 



To disobey the parson would have been for 

 Bill a sheer impossibility, though easy enough for 

 other lads. For him the old parson had been in 

 the place of a father ever since he lost his own ; 

 and at home, in school, in church, or in the 

 village, he often saw the old man many times a 

 day. Not that he exactly loved him or at least 

 he was not aware of it ; he had more than once 

 tasted of the big stick, and oftener deserved it. 

 But in Bill there was a feeling for constituted 

 authority, which centred itself in those black 

 gaiters and in that bent form with the grey hair ; 

 and it was strengthened by a dim sense of 

 gratitude and respect ; so he turned back 

 without a word, and put back the nest with 

 all the care he could. 



When he came in sight once more, the parson 

 was still at his gate, looking down the road 

 for him from under the wide brim of his old 

 hat. 



" Have you done it, Bill ? " he said, and 



