THE STBIKE AT SHANE'S, 79 



around ; and at noon, when they met at the oak tree, 

 there was not one absent. Towser related what he had 

 heard under the window, and they all accepted the 

 matter as a settled fact. 



Dobbin declared the strike ended, and requested 

 them all to go to work in good earnest to help Shane 

 out of his troubles. The horses all agreed to go to 

 work the next day. The cow said she would astonish 

 everybody by the amount of milk she would give. 



Towser told them that farmer Tracy had promised 

 that the neighbors would come and replant the corn the 

 next day. 



"Then I will have a few hundreds of my friends 

 here to kill all the worms in the field if they will let 

 us," said the blackbird, and all the other birds volun- 

 teered their assistance and promised that the farm 

 should be immediately inhabited by an army of birds. 



The meeting adjourned sine die, and then there was 

 great rejoicing over the success of the strike. 



"Why, there's a robin in the cedar tree,** said 

 Pxlith, in surprise that afternoon. "It seems like a 

 promise of better times to hear its welcome voice. 

 Why, mamma, just listen, there is a host of them 

 coming." 



The trees were soon filled with birds of all kinds, 

 which chirped and sang with all their power. 



"Papa, just listen to the birds," said Edith, entering 

 her father's room. "Isn't it delightful to have them 

 back again?" 



"It does seem more pleasant to have 'em here," said 



