1 62 More Tales of the Birds 



up in the hayloft, escaped Miss Pringle's notice, 

 and though the cook found him out, she was a 

 good-natured body and held her tongue. Nelly 

 paid me many visits, stealing round to my stable 

 by the fields ; and she made the gap in our 

 hedge so much bigger that once, in the Jack- 

 daw's absence, both she and Mag had a ride on 

 the pony in the paddock. 



" Mag grew to be nearly a year old, and the 

 cleverest bird you ever saw ; I had hard work 

 to keep him in his wicker cage, for he was 

 always pulling away at the door-fastening with 

 his bill. One warm morning in spring I was 

 sent for to take Miss Pringle's orders, and found 

 her sitting at her desk in her parlour, with the 

 window open, and the garden scents coming 

 into the room. I stood on the matting as usual 

 while she wrote a note. She then gave it to 

 me, and told me to take it to a village three 

 miles away, but first to get the carriage ready, 

 as she was going for a drive, and should be 

 away all the morning. She was very gracious, 

 and less tight about the lips than usual, I 

 fancied. 



