PELE SROBIN Ss: NEST. 9 
A QUARTET. 
away to the old apple orchard and 
made another nest high up among the 
boughs. Our little ones grew to be 
fine birds and we were happy once 
more. Before they were old enough 
to fly, you know that one of them fell, 
crowded out of the nest, and was hurt. 
The little boy from the farmhouse 
found him and carried him off, al- 
though we fluttered near and begged 
him to leave our little one to us to 
care for. 
“The people did not know how to 
feed him, although I think they meant 
to be kind, and | have always felt very 
sad when [| thought of his fate. If I 
could only have had this nice ledge 
for the little birds to walk on when 
they grew too large to stay together 
in the nest, | am sure no accident 
would have happened. I must try 
this place again. I have a feeling 
that all will be right this time. Let 
us build the nest and see. This year 
the vine covers the corner of the 
fence as it did not last year, and we 
cannot so readily be seen, and I will 
always watch so carefully,—yes, 
here the nest must be! 
“Oh dear, the cat has not come 
yet, but the woman has, and I heard 
her talking about us. What will 
she do? Shall we stay and take care 
of our three beautiful eggs or shall 
we fly away? 
“A man has been here and nailed 
wire netting all around my nest. I 
wonder why. Surely I must fly 
away; it looks very dangerous; 
but how can I leave my eggs? 
They need the warmth that I must 
give them. 
“Oh, still worse, they have made 
a hole in the old barn and I know 
they are watching us. Oh, what 
shall we do? Surely, we must give 
up this nest; but how can we leave 
the eggs,—they are so beautiful,— 
and now there are four of them. 
No, let us wait and see! 
“Still worse has happened; they 
watch and wait for me, and when I 
settle down on the nest they move a 
little shutter quickly,—but I fly away 
still more quickly. Surely we cannot 
stay in this dangerous place. But 
how can we go and leave the four 
warm eggs? I can almost feel the lit- 
tle ones inside begging me not to let 
them get cold. 
“The glass eye is always there, but 
nothing has hurt us yet; and now one 
little egg is broken, and such a soft, 
wee, helpless little thing has come 
out! I never can leave it now. My 
mate is afraid and does not often come 
COME AND FEED Us! 
