212 More Tales of the Birds 



Mr. Bates chucked the unfinished nest on to 

 a heap of weeds, thrust in his arm again, and 

 began a fresh search. The Poet's face grew 

 dark : he could hardly find his voice. 



" Bates," he said at last, " stop that. You've 

 taken one nest already, and if you or your 

 grandson take another here, I'll send you 

 straight about your business. Do you think 

 I took this garden to rob my blackbirds of their 

 nests ? " 



" Lord save us," cried Joseph, suddenly be- 

 wildered by this vehemence, "do I rightly 

 understand you, Sir ? " 



" You needn't understand me, if you can't do 

 so," said the Poet, feeling a great dislike and dread 

 for this terrible old man and his barbarian grand- 

 son ; " but I mean to keep my blackbirds, so if 

 you take another nest I'll find another man." 



Joseph admitted to his wife afterwards that 

 he was "clean took aback by this queer gentle- 

 man from London ; " but, recovering himself 

 quickly, he stuck his spade into the ground to 

 lean upon, and began a further discourse. 



"Begging your pardon, Sir, if I've in any 



