I 1 4 JVays of IVood Folk. 



They circled rapidly down the field and back 

 again, near the watcher. Suddenly the bright thing 

 dropped, reaching the ground before it was discov- 

 ered. Three or four crows swooped upon it, and 

 a lively scrimmage began for its possession. In the 

 midst of the strusg-le a small crow shot under the 

 contestants, and before they knew what was up he 

 was scurrying away to the hickory with the coveted 

 trinket held as high as he could carry it, as if in 

 triumph at his sharp trick. 



The flock settled slowh' into the pines again with 

 much /ta-iuiiio^. There was e\'identh' a question whether 

 the play ought to be allowed or not. Everybody had 

 something to sav about it ; and there was no end of 

 objection. At last it was settled good-naturedlv, and 

 they took places to watch till the new leader should 

 give them opportunity for another chase. 



There was no doubt left in the watcher's mind by 

 this time as to what the crows were doing. They 

 were just playing a game, like so many schoolboys, 

 enjoying to the full the long bright hours of the Sep- 

 tember afternoon. Did they find the bright object as 

 they crossed the pasture on the wa}- from Farmer B's 

 corn-field, and the game so suggest itself .-^ Or was the 

 game first suggested, and the talisman brought after- 

 wards .? Every crow has a secret storehouse, where 

 he hides every bright thing he finds. Sometimes it 



