Parting Guests 



eyes. Nor was it long before one and all, they 

 had passed from my control. I could only guard 

 them from afar, heading them oflF from places of 

 danger by driving them in a quick succession of 

 hops across the lawn. 



In the daytime the mother seemed quite confi- 

 dent. As I met her running down the path 

 attended closely by her hungry brood she would 

 scold me roundly for my officious watchfulness 

 and bid me cease my interference. But at dusk 

 she grew plainly anxious and would svimmon me 

 to her assistance by sharp squawks, fretful at 

 first, but insistent if I delayed. Then as I 

 appeared bearing in one hand the fireless cooker, 

 she would flutter low before me until one by one 

 I had gathered in her flock. They, too, seemed 

 to expect me as they crouched low in the grass 

 like young runaways, their beaks uptilted for a 

 peek at my covering hand. With that one sign 

 of resistance, however, their bravado vanished and 

 they were ready to snuggle down. In these bed- 

 time rites the father took no part. He would 

 merely select his perch as spectator and watch 

 with an interest which, if keen, was detached, 



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