26 More Tales of the Birds 



them the manservant, who was always spoiling 

 her plans by poking about in the garden with 

 his tools. But this same man had spitefully (so 

 she thought) locked up the tool-house before he 

 went away, and it was just this very tool-house 

 on which she had been setting her heart all the 

 morning. There she could not possibly be seen 

 either from the road or the windows, while she 

 could herself see enough of the garden to catch 

 sight of anything wonderful that might come ; 

 and there too she had some property of her 

 own in a dark corner, consisting of a dormouse, 

 the gift of her brothers, and sundry valuable 

 odds and ends, with which she might amuse 

 herself if nothing did come. 



And this was not the only thing that troubled 

 her. She had heard her mother say that she 

 was going to ask Aunt Charlotte to look in 

 and see after Gwenny : and Gwenny did not 

 want, I grieve to say, to be seen after by 

 Aunt Charlotte. That kind lady was sure to 

 stay a long time in the garden fidgeting with 

 the rose-trees, and collecting snails and cater- 

 pillars in an old tin pan. These creatures she 



