“I will give you this piece off my dress, Billy, to put in your nest, if you will give me that beautiful ribbon. This will do better for you, because it’s bigger. Now, do give it to me, and I’ll give you and your little mate ever so many crumbs from the next piece of bread I get.”
The sparrow again waited till the child had almost reached him, and then flew away as before.
“Oh, dear me!” she exclaimed sadly; “I did want it so much!” and she turned to go back with a weary air.
Then the sparrow came towards her and dropped the ribbon on the ground. The child ran to pick it up; but just as she stooped to seize it, the sparrow caught it up in his beak and flew off with it.
“I shall follow him,” said the child to herself, “till I get that ribbon. I know he’ll drop it again, for he’s a very careless fellow.”
So the two went on, the sparrow occasionally dropping the ribbon and then seizing it again as the child was about to put her hand on it.
Meanwhile Posy and Tom were out in the yard, or rather seated on the step of the kitchen door, watching the barn-kittens playing. The gray kitten played too, but more gently than the tiger-kittens.
“I’m going to bring out the house-kittens,” said Posy; “they ought to have a good time too.”
The house-cat was lying in the box beside her kittens when Posy came for them.
“I’m going to let your kitties play with the barn-kitties,” said Posy in explanation to the house-cat, who looked rather startled at such a sudden interruption; “they ought to be out in the fresh air instead of sleeping in this hot kitchen. You needn’t meaw so, for I shan’t hurt them.”