“You’ve got on your blue spectacles to-day, I guess,” said Mrs. Polly, “and you like to make yourself out worse than you are.”
“I’m sure we should miss you very much,” said the canary. “We have so little variety to our lives, shut up here in these cages, that it’s very pleasant to have you coming and going, and bringing us news from the busy world. Why, we should never have known about little Nancy if it hadn’t been for you; and you are the one who is to bring her here, and now you are about to venture into Graywhisker’s hole and find the ribbon. Why, you’re the bravest fellow I know! Don’t say you’re of no use in the world when you can do so much!”
“You’re very kind,” said the sparrow,—and his voice was somewhat husky, and his eyes looked a little moist,—“to say such pleasant things to a fellow. I don’t think I ever had anybody say such pleasant things to me before. I declare I believe I’ve got a cold coming on;” and the sparrow made a great effort to clear his throat.
“If you persist in doing this reckless thing—” began Mrs. Polly.
“I do persist,” said the sparrow decidedly.
“You must take the opportunity when Graywhisker is away from home,” continued Mrs. Polly. “I don’t know much about his habits myself, but Major can tell you when he is likely to be out. Then let the barn-cat watch at the entrance of the hole, and you’re safe from him provided you don’t come to harm in the hole.”
Mrs. Polly put her head on one side with a meditative air, and the others were silent, for they knew she was considering deeply about the matter. After a few minutes’ silence she spoke.
“I’ll tell you what seems to me to be a good plan,” she said to the sparrow. “You see the barn-cat and whisper to her to take her kittens out for an airing in front of the barn. Graywhisker will be sure to see them, and conclude that it’s safe for him to leave home, for he never goes out while she is in the barn. You watch from a distance, and when he is gone you give the barn-cat a sign and let her leave her kittens with the little gray kitten while you slip into the hole and she sits at the entrance. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I understand that it wouldn’t make much difference to the barn-cat whether she ate me or Graywhisker; on the whole, I’m inclined to think she’d give me the preference. No, I thank you, I’d rather meet Graywhisker in the hole than have the barn-cat watch the entrance while I’m in.”
“Well, I don’t know but that you’re right,” answered Mrs. Polly; “then we’ll leave it this way. You wait for an opportunity when Graywhisker is away and the barn-cat too, and then you slip in and get the ribbon. Major will point out his hole to you.”