Toby, curious to see what it could be that these little creatures were expecting, secreted himself behind a clump of barberry bushes and waited. He thought his presence was not noticed, but he was mistaken. The bright little eyes of the nuthatch were on him, and he was trying his best to find out something about the stranger. Creeping along the under side of a large limb that grew near the spot where Toby sat hidden, the bright eyes watched every motion, for nuthatches are timid birds and very suspicious of strangers.
All at once the sparrows who had disappeared from sight came flying back in great excitement, twittering as they flew: “Coming! Coming! He is almost here!” and immediately secured favorable positions on the outskirts of the party.
No sooner had the sparrows settled themselves, than a sleigh drawn by two handsome horses was seen approaching at a rapid rate. In the sleigh were two little boys and a middle-aged gentleman. One of the boys sprang out as soon as the sleigh stopped, and Toby noticed that he had a basket in his hand. The other boy sat still until the gentleman alighted and lifted him carefully out.
“Here they are, Billy!” exclaimed the little boy who had jumped out. “They are all here, and Dick the Scrapper is here too, just as cross as ever. Oh, you ought to see how handsome the squirrels look!”
“Can’t he see for himself, without that smart little chap telling him?” muttered Toby to himself.
“No, he can’t,” replied a voice from above. “Don’t you see that he is not a seeing child?”
Toby started, to find that he had been overheard, and looking up saw the little nuthatch hanging head downward, eying him sharply.
“I didn’t know you were there,” murmured Toby, taken greatly by surprise.
“I know you didn’t. I’ve been watching you for some time, and I can see that you are a lost dog.”
Meanwhile Sam was scattering the contents of his basket far and wide, reserving the finest of the nuts to tempt the squirrels to eat from his hand. He did not forget the little blind boy, and gave the largest share to him to hold.