"The children!" she screamed.
She was up on the edge of the nest in a second. On the opposite side sat her husband, watching just as eagerly as she.
One egg was quite in two and one of the others was burst. A wee, blind, naked youngster lay in the nest; and from the other egg protruded the dearest little leg of a chick.
"Did you ever see anything like it?" cried she. "Isn't it charming?"
"Delightful!" said he.
Then they began carefully to peck at the other eggs. And, inside, the young chicks pecked with their little beaks and five minutes later, they were all five out.
"Help me to clear up," she said.
Out flew the shells, on every side, down into the water.
"God bless you, kind lady!" cried Goody Cray-Fish from down below.
She was out for an evening stroll. But no one heard her. The reed-warblers were mad with delight over their children and had no thought for anything else in the world.