82 



Cffgeegfee-Iokh-s/s 



the post and disappear into her doorway. 

 I could hardly be sure it was a bird. It 

 seemed rather as if the wind had stirred a 

 little bundle of gray moss. Had she moved 

 slowly I might not have seen her, so closely 

 did her soft gray cloak blend with the weather- 

 beaten wood and moss. 



In a few moments she reappeared, waited 

 a moment with her tiny head peeking out of 

 the knot-hole, flashed round the post out 

 of sight; and when I saw her again it 

 was as she reappeared suddenly beside the 

 male. 



Then I watched him. While his mate 

 whisked about the top rail he dropped to the 

 middle one, hopped gradually to one side, 

 then dropped suddenly to the lowest one, 

 half hidden by vines, and disappeared. I 

 [( turned my eyes to the nest. In a moment 

 there he was — just a little gray flash, appear- 

 ing for an instant from behind the post, only 

 to disappear into the dark entrance. When 

 he came out again I had but a glimpse of 

 him till he appeared on the rail near me, 

 beside his mate. 



