"I was once walking in a wood, and caught sight of a party of jays before they saw me. They were all chattering together and enjoying themselves highly. Suddenly one of them uttered a short, deep-toned note, when in an instant all was silent,—and they skulked one by one to a neighboring thicket."
"I suppose one of them caught a glimpse of you, and warned the others that you were near enough to listen to their secrets," said Fred, with a hearty laugh.
Grandpa now took his cane and walked to the door, determined, as the appeal was made to him, to watch the motions of the robins, and try to help them if they were in trouble.
But though Mr. Robin kept repeating his flight to the nest, and his effort to talk, nothing could be made of it; and at length the poor father seemed to despair.
In the mean time, Jack, Katy and Annie were chatting merrily together; and before this first interview closed, Katy had even ventured to take a crumb from Annie's mouth. This the child thought the very summit of happiness, and called loudly to her mother to come and share her delight.
Jack was evidently very proud of his sister; and while this was going on, hopped from one to the other, his small head cocked in a very arch manner.
After a time the little ones hopped away, as they wished to fly back to the nest. Katy was quite impatient to impart her success to her sister; but when she glanced up into the tree, she was almost in despair.
"Fly up a few times into this bough," said Jack. "It is beautiful exercise."
Katy did so, and presently, with a beating heart, from the bush mounted to the nest.
"O Molly!" she cried, "if you had been with us, I should have been the happiest bird that ever lived."