126 More Tales of the Birds 



for his crimson has turned a dirty yellow, you see, 

 as it always does in confinement. I think he may 

 live if he's cared for. If he does, I'll take him on 

 my cycle into Sussex on Saturday, and I'll let 

 him go there. Can you find a cage ? " 



An old cage was found somewhere, and Lintie 

 was a prisoner once more ; but he was past caring 

 about that, and simply sat huddled up at the 

 bottom of it with his head under his wing. The 

 Ornithologist called a cab, a very unusual step 

 for him, put his great-coat over the cage, and 

 drove off to the West End. 



Two days later the Ornithologist was wheeling 

 swiftly southwards, with a little cage fixed to the 

 saddle in front of him. The motion was not 

 unpleasant to Lintie when once they were free of 

 streets and crowds, and out of suburbs, even to 

 the last new house of dreary Croydon. He was 

 in a cage still ; but birds, even more than other 

 animals, have a subtle inward sense of sympathy 

 that tells them surely in whose hands they are. 

 Lintie was in the strong hands of one who loves 

 all birds, and whose happiness is bound up in 

 theirs. 



