The Wise Man laughed to himself, and then whistled an imitation of the White-throated Sparrow's call—at which sound Dodo promptly rolled out of her hammock and bumped into Nat, who was still lying in the grass; then both the children sat up and listened.
"All day—whittling—whittling—whittling," whistled the notes.
"You ought to be further north building your nest," said Nat. "Don't you know that, Mr. Peabody?"
"It's Uncle Roy!" cried Dodo, spying him back of the apple-tree perch. "How would you like to go down to the seashore to-morrow, little folks?"
"There!" exclaimed Dodo; "you see there is more niceness yet!"
"I suppose by that you mean 'yes,'" laughed the Doctor. "Olive and I have planned to take the six-seated surrey, with a hamper of good things to eat, and drive down to the sandy shore where the river broadens into salt water. There is a house on the bay where we can have our dinner, and the meadows and marshes are full of birds—don't quite smother me, Dodo! Then in the cool of the afternoon we can return and have a picnic supper at some pretty place on the way, for to-morrow night the moon is full!"
"Can Rap go with us—for he hardly ever gets down to the shore?"
"Certainly!"
"How far is it?" asked Nat.
"About fifteen miles by the road, though not more than ten in a straight line."