Mr. Jones laughed heartily, as he called his little girl to his side, and putting a piece of sugar in her mouth, told her to call the robins as Annie had done.
She did so; but though Jack and Katy turned their bright eyes toward the sugar, of which they were very fond, and chirped loudly for it, yet they would not leave their old friends.
Mr. Jones bade Fred take the birds, while Annie left the room, to see whether it was not accident which had led them to alight on her head. But the moment she returned, they flew to meet her, and showed the greatest pleasure when she caressed them.
"I'm afraid," said the gentleman to his daughter, "that you'll have to give up your pets."
"I don't care for them now," answered the child. "They never play any tricks for me; they only stay cooped up in their cage."
"When you go home, then, you may carry them," said the lady. "But how will you get them back to the cage?"
There was some difficulty in this, to be sure; for Katy and Jack, having once tasted the joys of liberty, did not like to return to captivity again. But at length by coaxing they succeeded in making them enter the door, which was quickly closed upon them.
"O mother! O grandpa! what do you think Fred is bringing?" shouted Annie, running forward and opening the cottage door.
Now, being so near the end of my book, I can only tell my young reader, in a few words, how delighted the robins were to return to their old home;—how in pleasant weather they flew around the nest in the elm tree, but always returned to the cage at night;—how during the cold winter they learned to warble forth their thanks to the dear children who had proved such loving friends;—how the old robins returned with the warm breath of spring, and were welcomed with delight by Jack and Katy, who had begun a nest of their own;—how Molly had found a mate, and built a nest on a bough near her parents;—and how sweetly at sunrise and at sunset they all carolled rich music, until the whole air resounded with their song.
Of Dick nothing was known by his parents, until their new brood was hatched, when one day a robin perched on a bough of the elm tree, and after gazing around for a moment, was recognized as the lost bird. Then were loud chirpings and great rejoicings, especially after he told them he had reformed from his old habits, and was trying to train up his young family as he had been taught by his parents.