“I daresay it is,” replied the Rook, hopping slowly from one fir-branch to another; “but I had far rather remain at home. Dear old place!” he said, looking at the venerable gray mansion, and then at the beautiful lake and wood behind which the sun was setting. “I wouldn’t miss the winter and spring here for anything that Africa or any other place in the wide world could give me.”
The gray stones and gables were bright with the glory of the setting sun, the ruddy stems of the firs had caught the reflection and stood out in their depth of red from the dark green foliage. Some autumn flowers and a few late roses still gave colour to the garden, and the sound of far-off childish voices echoed from the more distant lime-trees.
Willie came dancing across the lawn, and the perambulator, pushed by Nurse Barlow, followed more slowly. Willie’s eyes were sparkling with excitement. He had been out with his father, and had hunted the hedgerows for blackberries to his heart’s content. In one hand he held a small basket wherein lay some fresh-gathered mushrooms. In the other he bore in triumph a large hazel branch, loaded with nuts. Just then his mother came out on the lawn, and he ran towards her with eager joy and affection.
“Look, mother! I picked these in the field my very own self. Ain’t they beauties?” he said, turning the mushrooms slowly over; “they’re for your dinner, and I picked them.”
They certainly looked very fresh and tempting, with their glossy white tops and soft pink gills.
“Thank you, my darling,” said his mother, stroking the brown hair back from his bright face, “I shall like them very much.”
At this moment Willie caught sight of a little black head and a pair of bright eyes between the fir-branches.
“Mother,” he whispered, pointing to the branch, “that’s our Blackbird. He’s fond of blackberries; he was eating some in the hedge the other day––I saw him. 80 I have a few in the corner of the basket here. I’ll throw them to him.”
A few blackberries were scattered on the grass on the other side of the fir-tree, and Willie moved a little further off, for fear the Blackbird should be shy.