THE BLUEBIRD 7 



they would surely find it. No, their minds and 

 eyes were intent only upon that square foot of 

 space where the nest had been. Soon they with- 

 drew to a large limb many feet higher up, and 

 seemed to say to themselves, " Well, it is not 

 there, but it must be here somewhere; let us 

 look about." A few minutes elapsed, when we saw 

 the mother bird spring from her perch and go 

 straight as an arrow to the nest. Her maternal eye 

 had proved the quicker. She had found her young. 

 Something like reason and common sense had 

 come to her rescue ; she had taken time to look 

 about, and behold ! there was that precious door- 

 way. She thrust her head into it, then sent back a 

 call to her mate, then went farther in, then with- 

 drew. " Yes, it is true, they are here, they are 

 here ! " Then she went in again, gave them the 

 food in her beak, and then gave place to her 

 mate, who, after similar demonstrations of joy, 

 also gave them his morsel. 



Ted and I breathed freer. A burden had been 

 taken from our minds and hearts, and we went 

 cheerfully on our way. We had learned some- 

 thing, too ; we had learned that when in the deep 

 woods you think of bluebirds, bluebirds may be 

 nearer you than you think. 



One mid- April morning two pairs of bluebirds 



