78 
WILD SCENES AND SONG-BIRDS. 
''You 'ain't found any mocking bird's nest yet — have you ?" 
I could not help reddening for the life of me, and an- 
swered sharply — 
• "I have told you there are no mocking birds' nests about 
here to find. What put that into your head, you scamp ?" 
" 0, nothin' at all ! What was you lookin' at so, down 
thar in the thorn bushes ?" 
" Pshaw ! You'd better go and see, you silly fellow ! I 
find a great many things to look at. I have stood for an 
hour over an ant-hill. You'd better follow my trail, if you 
like such amusement!" 
" Drat if I don't go and see what's in them 'ar thorn 
trees ! I believe they is somethin' thar mor'n a ant-hill ?" 
I could have strangled the pertinacious little ruffian ; and 
it required a very great struggle for me to contain myself ; 
for I well knew that if I let my excitement be seen, the case 
was a hopeless one from that instant ; for nothing could save 
my mocking bird's nest then, as they would be sure to de- 
stroy it in sheer wantonness. I answered as coolly as I 
could — 
" Well, go ahead youngster ; you'll be apt to find a bag of 
dollars, no doubt !" 
I was now seriously alarmed, and never, as I flattered my- 
self, exerted greater ingenuity or more consummate tact, than 
in my efforts this morning, to turn aside suspicion from those 
unlucky thorn trees. I put them on half-a-dozen different 
scents, and offered such rewards as I thought would ensure 
the direction of their inquisitive activity toward other ob- 
jects. 
Our foray against the poor squirrels was successful, and I 
managed that my youthful inquisitor should get one of them, 
and in every way endeavored to propitiate him. I saw he 
had got it into his head that I was afraid of him, on account 
of something or other I had found in those thorns, and knew 
that his malicious love of mischief was only equalled by his 
inquisitive and suspicious temper. My only hope, therefore. 
