BIIIDS NESTS. 5 



stay and fight for them, or run away to save 

 yourself? " 



Joe held down his head and said nothing. 

 Perhaps he recollected that his mother had 

 that very morning forbidden him to meddle 

 with a nest which a robin had built in the 

 garden tool-house. Johnson looked as if he 

 would have said something impudent, if he 

 had not been afraid. 



"Now/ 3 continued Mr. Miller, "you have 

 committed a trespass in my orchard, not only 

 by breaking through the fence, but by cutting 

 a tree. If I were to take you before a magis- 

 trate, he would, I dare say, fine you heavily ; 

 but this would be no punishment to you, John- 

 son, for your father would have to pay ; and 

 from what I know of your character, you are 

 too selfish to be pained at what may happen to 

 him, or indeed to any one but yourself. Your 

 mother, Joe, cannot afford it ; and besides, so 

 pious and honest a woman as she is does not 

 deserve to suffer for the faults of her children ; 



