256 THE GARDEN OF A 



" Not while Barbara and six dogs are on the prem 

 ises," I thought. Then the whole thing flashed 

 across my intelligence. The conspirators were doing 

 a Cook's Tour in Birdland ! For a moment I ex- 

 pected to see the group arise solemnly, take hands 

 and dance around the chief, singing : " Follow the 

 man from Cook's," then I took action, steadying my 

 voice, and using father's pacific formula for such 

 cases. 



" You probably are not aware that you are tres- 

 passing, but this is private ground," my voice becom- 

 ing more emphatic as I saw that the thrush had left 

 the nest, and was summoning assistance by means of 

 her cluck of alarm, which was instantly answered by 

 the nearby robins' " quick, quick," the veery's 

 " whew " from the woods, the catbird's " miou " 

 from the garden, as well as a chorus of others. 



" Oh, not at all, not at all," said the chief, beaming 

 upon me patronizingly. " That is, I mean we are not 

 in any way trespassing. We are studying birds a 

 Bird Class, you know. Of course I was aware that 

 this land belongs to the doctor, and that is the very 

 reason why I have chosen it as the meeting place 

 for my class for the next two weeks, as I hear that he 

 has protected birds for a long period, so that more 

 species can be found nesting in a small radius than in 



