The Sorrows of a House Martin 43 



to shelter us. You see your home is our home 

 too ; and how would you like to have to sleep 

 in the tool-house, or under the gooseberry bushes 

 in the garden ? " 



" I should love to sleep in the tool-house," 

 said Gwenny, "at least, if I could have my bed 

 in there. But I didn't know you slept in your 

 old nests, nor did father, I am sure, or he would 

 have taken care of them when the workmen 

 were here painting the window-frames and the 

 timbers under the roof." 



14 I thought that was how it was done," said 

 the Martin ; " they like to make everything 

 spick and span, and of course our nests look 

 untidy. Well, it can't be helped ; but it was 

 bad luck for us. We went to work all the 

 same, gathering up the mud in our bills, and 

 laid a fresh foundation, mixing it with a little 

 grass or straw to keep it firm." 



" Like the Israelites when they had to make 

 bricks ! " cried Gwenny. 



"Just so," said the Martin, though he did 

 not quite understand. "And all was going on 

 nicely, and my wife up there was quite in a 



