"To be sure, it is the one we missed that day, don't you remember, mother? Ah, ha! old fellow, you are done for this time!" said Jack.
"I think this is a hen bustard; it is the mother bird," said Ernest.
"Ah, yes, poor thing!" exclaimed my wife, in a tone of concern; "it is most likely the same, and I know she had a brood of young birds, and now they will be left unprotected and miserable. Had we not better let her go?"
"Why, my dear, kind-hearted wife, that was weeks and weeks ago! Those little birds are all strong and big by this time, and I dare say Mrs. Bustard here has forgotten all about them. Besides, she is badly wounded, and we must try to cure the hurt. If we succeed, she will be a valuable addition to our poultry yard; if we cannot, you shall roast her for dinner."
Resuming our march, we next arrived at the Monkey Grove, which was the scene of the tragi-comic adventure by which Fritz became the guardian of the orphan ape.
While he amused us all by a lively and graphic description of the scene, Ernest was standing apart under a splendid cocoanut palm, gazing in fixed admiration at the grand height of the stem, and its beautiful, graceful crown of leaves. The cluster of nuts beneath these evidently added interest to the spectacle, for, drawing quietly near him, I heard a long-drawn sigh, and the words:
"It's awfully high! I wish one would fall down!"
Scarcely had he uttered these words, than, as if by magic, down plumped a huge nut at his feet.
The boy was quite startled, and sprang aside, looking timidly upward, when, to my surprise, down came another.
"Why, this is just like the fairy tale of the wishing-cap!" cried Ernest. "My wish is granted as soon as formed!"