THE REDWING 
the ivy-tree. He was only just in time, for an 
old rat came out the next minute, with the 
golden yelk still clinging to his whiskers. 
Shacaim preened himself and 
watched the robber distrustfully. 
Then Mrs. Maguire came out 
of her house, and looked across 
the woods to the sea. The 
sun slowly reddened the flanks 
of the last rain-cloud before he 
dipped ; and the boom of the 
surf, as the tide turned, was 
borne up the Glen. " Shure 
the summer will come airly, 
this year," said Mrs. Maguire 
to herself. "The burrds is 
singin' all day." 
She stood for a long time, 
looking through a gap between 
the tree-tops out across the Channel. (Shacaim 
down among the cabbages could not see it for 
the intervening woods and fields the sea 
whither the clouds were driven, the sea whither 
the birds fly.) Then she slowly went back 
into her cabin with her fowls, and shut the 
door, for she always went to bed with the sun. 
Shacaim whetted his bill, and shook his feathers. 
It was roosting-time, but to-night he felt 
strangely reluctant to shut out the gracious 
165 
