HI 
Our Winged Friends 
than the horrid huntermen who shoot poor birds 
with their guns ; because they wouldn’t think of 
coming in babytime.” Toddy was evidently very 
much ashamed, for he sneaked into the house and 
went straight to his basket, and didn’t show his face 
again that day. 
If I had had Toddy’s chance of getting out onto 
the porch, I should have done quite differently. I 
would have climbed up on the wire netting and the 
vines to the nest where the little birdies were, be- 
cause they couldn’t fly away. Oh, what a feast that 
would have been — four birds, one after the other. 
It sets my teeth on edge to think of it. 
One afternoon, when both the robins happened 
to be away, mistress went on the piazza to await 
their return. 
Rena came first, and perched on the neighboring 
housetop, chatting with mistress, although I think 
it sounded more as if she were scolding. Gradually 
she came nearer the piazza, and finally perched on 
the vines opposite the nest. But although her poor 
little babies cried most piteously, she would not go 
near them. But when mistress went into the 
house, hardly had she shut the door, when Rena 
flew to the nest and began feeding her babies. 
