“Posy appeared, dancing along.”—Page [110.]
CHAPTER IX.
The little sparrow went to bed early that night, that he might be up by daybreak the next morning and start on his expedition to Nancy before the family were stirring.
Pleasant dreams of the happiness awaiting the forlorn child passed through his little brain, and he took his head from under his wing as the first faint streak of daylight appeared in the east.
This morning he omitted his usual cheerful twitter, there was no time for that; so he jumped up and looked around for the little piece of red ribbon with the gold figures on it. Where was it? He was certain he had placed it carefully in the nest, for it was the last thing he saw before he went to sleep.
“What in the world has become of that ribbon?” he said aloud. “I am sure I put it on this side of the nest, where it couldn’t possibly blow away;” and he pecked apart the lining of the nest and peeped everywhere in vain.
“It couldn’t possibly have blown away, but I’ll look everywhere;” and he carefully examined the ground under the nest and the trees and bushes,—everywhere where it was possible for a ribbon to lodge.
By this time the sun was up and Hannah had come downstairs. As soon as she opened the dining-room window to air the room, the sparrow flew straight to Mrs. Polly, about as anxious-looking a bird as you would wish to see.
“Here’s a pretty fix,” he began; “the ribbon’s gone!”
“Gone!” exclaimed Mrs. Polly, “gone where?”