36 THE STBIKE AT SHANE'S. 



hundreds of 'em at it. But how is thim horses this 

 mornin'?" 



"No better ; an' the old man is as mad as a hornet," 

 said Tom, as he passed on down the lane in search of 

 blackbirds. There was abundance of them, and Tom 

 thought he would have fine sport killing them, but they 

 were on the alert, and not a bird did he succeed in kill- 

 ing, although he tramped around the fields until he was 

 tired out. 



"Tom, you surely didn't milk that cow dry," said 

 Mrs. Shane ; "you didn't get half as much milk as you 

 usually do." 



"She wouldn't give down her milk," said Tom. 

 "The old brute needed a good beating — and she got it, 

 too." 



"You must not ill-treat that cow," said Mrs. Shane. 

 * * Nothing will ruin a good cow as soon as cruel treat- 

 ment. If you won't treat the cow right I will have to 

 do the milking myself." 



"It ain't my fault that she is so mean," said Tom, 

 as he walked out in the yard, and discovering a bird's 

 nest in the cedar tree, picked up a long pole and began 

 to punch at it, when Edith came out and saw him. 



"Tom Shane, what are you doing ? " she cried ; " you 

 leave that bird's nest alone." 



"I won't," he said. "It's a nasty old robin's nest, 

 and I don't want 'em here." 



"They don't hurt anything, and do lots of good, 

 and sing so nice." 



"They steal cherries, and don't do any good," said 

 Tom ; "an' who cares for their singin' ? " 



