Downs and Dungeons 123 



three of his steering feathers mattered little. 

 Over the crooked chimneys, over dismal streets 

 and foul back-yards he flew, till the air seemed 

 to clear a little as a large open space came in 

 sight. There were tall fine houses round this 

 space, but all the middle part of it was full of 

 trees and shrubs, and even flower-beds. The 

 stems of the trees were dead-black with smoke, 

 and the shrubs looked heavy and sodden ; but 

 yet this was the best thing that Lintie had seen 

 for many long and weary days. Even the 

 sounds as well as sights revived him, for surely, 

 heard through the roar of the great street hard 

 by, there came the cooing of Woodpigeons, 

 the very same soothing sound that used to 

 come up to the Downs from the beech-woods, 

 that hung on their steep sides. 



He flew down into one of the thick shrubs, 

 found a way in, and hid himself. He seemed 

 as secure as in his native gorse-bush ; and as 

 it was dark in there and he was tired, and 

 evening was not far distant, he put his head 

 under his wing and went to sleep. 



He had not slept very long when he was waked 



