More Tales of the Birds 



away to the southward there were other sounds 

 in the air sounds deep and strange, as if a 

 storm were beginning there. 



" But there is no storm about," said the 

 Skylark's wife ; "I should have felt it long 

 ago. What is it, dear ? what can it be ? Some- 

 thing is wrong ; and I feel as if trouble were 

 coming, with all these creatures about. Look 

 there ! " she said, as they descended again to 

 the ground at a little distance, as usual from 

 the nest; "look there, and tell me if some- 

 thing is not going to happen ! " 



A little way off, dimly looming through the 

 mist, was a large cart or waggon moving slowly 

 along a field-track. Leading the horses was the 

 farmer, and sitting in the cart was the farmer's 

 wife, trouble written in her face ; on her lap 

 was a tiny child, another sat on the edge of 

 the cart, and a third was astride on one of the 

 big horses, holding on by his huge collar, and 

 digging his young heels into the brawny shoulders 

 below him. All of these the Skylarks knew well; 

 they came from the farm down in the hollow, and 

 they must be leaving their old home, for there 



