THE ROBINS GO A-TRAVELLING 



which my birds spent the night, I had two 

 small lightly constructed ones which I car- 

 ried on our strolls. In this way I felt safe 

 to wander freely, for at the first intimation 

 of danger I could protect the birds by 

 caging them. 



But trouble generally comes from unex- 

 pected sources. It was not during a stroll, 

 but while I was seated out under the trees 

 near the house that real danger came to 

 them. They had been playing near me in 

 an open space, and were, as I supposed, in 

 perfect security, when all at once I was 

 startled by their pitiful cries. Chupes was 

 rushing wildly about, but Jenny's fear was 

 so abject as to make her almost rigid. I 

 started hastily to go to their relief, and 

 this sudden movement on my part averted 

 their danger. A sparrow-hawk was just 

 swooping down upon them, thinking 

 doubtless that I was part of the tree against 



