The Sorrows of a House Martin 4 1 



one or two places, and there we used all to go, 

 and especially to that long strip of stagnant water 

 which the railway embankment shelters from the 

 east. We used to fly up and down, up and down, 

 over that dreary bit of water : but to collect a 

 good beakful of flies used to take us so long that 

 we had often to rest on the telegraph wires before 

 it was done, and we got so cold and so tired 

 that we could only fly slowly, and often felt as 

 if we should have to give in altogether." 



" I saw you," said Gwenny ; " I watched you 

 ever so long one day, and I was quite pleased 

 because I could see the white patches over your 

 tails so nicely ; you flew so slowly, and some- 

 times you came along almost under my feet." 



"And I saw you," returned the Martin, 

 " one day, but one day only ; for you caught 

 your bad cold that very day while you were 

 watching us ; and the next time I saw you, 

 when I peeped in at the window as I was 

 looking for my old nest, you were in bed, and 

 I could hear you sneezing and coughing even 

 through the window panes. It was a bad time 

 for all of us, my dear." 



