The Larks Nest 



was crockery, and a big clock, and a picture or 

 two, and other household goods, all packed in 

 roughly and hurriedly, as if the family had been 

 suddenly turned out into the world. The farmer 

 looked over his shoulder and said a cheering word 

 to his wife, and the Skylark did the same by his. 



" Don't get frightened," he said, "or you won't 

 be able to sit close. And sitting close is the 

 whole secret, dear, the whole secret of nesting. 

 I'm sorry I took you up there, but I meant well. 

 Promise me to sit close ; if any creature comes 

 along, don't you stir it is the whole secret. 

 They won't find you on the eggs, if you only 

 sit close ; and think how hard it is to get back 

 again without being seen when once you're off 

 the nest ! There's nothing to alarm you in what 

 we saw. See, here we are at the nest, and how 

 far it is from the big road, and how snugly 

 hidden ! Promise me, then, to sit close, and in 

 a day or two we shall begin to hatch." 



She promised, and nestled once more on the 

 eggs. It was true, as he had said, that the nest 

 was some way from the road ; it was in fact 

 about halfway between two high roads, which 



