“Good afternoon!” shouted Mister Catbird. “Good afternoon, EVERYBODY! MEOW!”
As Robert Robin, and his family flew away they heard Mister Catbird singing with all his might:
“Never hurry!
Wait a bit!
Never worry!
MEOW! MEOW!
Ha! Ha! Ha!
Do your work!
MEOW! MEOW!”
And the young robins couldn’t help but laugh, but Mister Robert Robin pretended that he did not hear Mister Catbird at all, and started talking with Mrs. Robin about something else.
Before night they came to the shore of the great lake, and at first the little robins were badly frightened. They saw the hundreds of gulls in the air and thought that they were all hawks.
“Those are not hawks, children!” said Mrs. Robin. “Those are sea gulls, but there are many hawks here, too, but if you keep under the cover of the bushes, the hawks will not see you, and if a hawk cannot see you, he cannot catch you!”
For a long time they sat in an apple tree and looked at the great lake, and watched the gulls swooping and soaring through the air. Many boats were plowing through the water, and many people were strolling along the beach or swimming in the surf.
“I want a drink!” said little Sheldon.
“I want a drink!” said little Elizabeth.
“I want a drink!” said little Evelina.