28 THE STBIKE AT SHANE' 8, 



shot from Shane's gun," said the quail, '* and I prom- 

 ise you that no quail shall come on this farm this 

 summer." 



" I have a grievance against farmer Shane myself," 

 said a hawk, that had perched unseen on the top of the 

 oak, '' and I will agree to kill all the chickens on the 

 farm." 



' ' Put him out ! put him out ! " screamed the hen ; 

 and the other birds quickly sought cover. 



"I'll fix him," said the kingbird, and he made a 

 quick dash at the hawk, and struck him in the back 

 with his sharp beak. 



"I'll help," said the crow; and between them they 

 soon drove the hawk away. 



"I spend almost the whole of my time catching 

 worms and bugs," chirped the robin. "It is true, 

 that is the way I make my living, but those worms 

 would destroy many dollars' worth of crops. Last 

 summer almost my whole family was killed by Shane 

 because we took a few cherries, and I promise you 

 there shall not a robin remain on the farm nor catch a 

 worm on it this summer.'* 



So said all the birds ; and it was then and there 

 arranged that there should be a general emigration of 

 birds from the Shane farm. 



" Am I in this?" asked the crow, who had returned 

 from driving the hawk away, which he had chased 

 clear over to the adjoining farm. 



"Well, that's questionable," said Dobbin. But owing 

 to the fact that the crow had chased away the hawk, 



1 



