160 FROM SPRING TO FALL. 



wanted them killed, the old birds especially, for the 

 next tree was a choice amber-heart, and the birds 

 were mauling the fine fruit terribly, eating at the 

 cherries themselves, and feeding their young as well. 

 The old birds were very wary, however. Our rela- 

 tive had tried to get them, on and off the nest, but 

 had failed ; so at last he let us try to do the job, at 

 our particular and urgent request. We considered 

 the subject over. The first thing was to put a rare 

 good charge in the old single ; then we waited till 

 roosting-time — in fact it was almost dusk — before, 

 taking off our shoes, we snaked up to the pear-tree, 

 dodging from trunk to trunk. At last we stood be- 

 neath the nest, which looked like a great black lump 

 above us. The gun was pointed fair at the bottom 

 of the nest, the trigger was pulled, down tumbled 

 the old ones and the young ones, at least all that 

 remained of them, for the bottom of the nest was 

 blown clean out. 



Something else, though, was blown clean off — 

 we could hear it snap — and down fell the top 

 shoot of the fine 3'oung pear-tree. This was more 

 than we had bargained for ; but the thing was 

 done, and there was no help for it. We gathered 



