Some of the younger ones, who had particularly enjoyed the skating, felt a good deal disappointed that the storm had come to put a stop to it, and were in consequence quite sober and subdued in their demeanor as they took their seats at the table.
A moment of complete silence followed the asking of the blessing, then, as Edward took up a carving-knife, and stuck the fork into a roast duck in front of him, there was a loud "Quack, quack," that startled everybody for an instant, followed by merry peals of laughter from old and young.
A loud squeal came next from a young pig in a dish placed before Mr. Dinsmore, and the song of the blackbird from a pie Grandma Elsie was beginning to help.
"'Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie,'" remarked Mr. Lilburn gravely.
"'When the pie was opened the birds began to sing,
Wasn't that a dainty dish to set before a king?'
"Ah ha! um h'm! ah ha! history repeats itself. But, Cousin Elsie, I didna expect to be treated to a meal o' livin' creatures in your house."
"Did you not?" she returned with a smile. "Life is full of surprises."
"And grandpa and Ned go on carving without any apparent thought of the cruelty of cutting into living creatures," laughed Zoe.
"And what a singular circumstance that chickens baked in a pie should sing like blackbirds," remarked Grandma Elsie.
"Very indeed!" said Capt. Raymond. "I move that some one prepare an article on the subject for one of the leading magazines."