20 



me away from where the little ones were 

 hiding. 



c/he O/'BeecA I knelt down just within the edge of woods, 

 ^Va'fndge whither I had seen the last laggard of the 

 5^^ brood vanish like a brown streak, and began 



to look for them carefully. After a time I 

 found one. He was crouched flat on a dead 

 oak leaf, just under my nose, his color hiding 

 him wonderfully. Something glistened in a 

 tangle of dark roots. It was an eye; and 

 presently I could make out a little head there. 

 That was all I could find of the family, though 

 .„ , a dozen more were close beside me, under 

 the leaves mostly. As I backed away I put 

 my hand on another before seeing him, and 

 barely saved myself from hurting the little 

 sly-boots, who never stirred a muscle, not 

 even when I took away the leaf that covered 

 him and put it back again softly. 



Across the pathway was a thick scrub oak, 

 under which I sat down to watch. Ten long 

 minutes passed, with nothing stirring, before 

 Mother Grouse came stealing back. She 

 clucked once — " Careful ! " it seemed to say; 

 and not a leaf stirred. She clucked again — 



