“I have at length found out the useful business which so occupies his time. He is fond of wandering in the woods and fields, amusing himself with robbing birds’ nests.”
“For shame, George Wilson,” replied Herbert Archer. “It is impossible that you have detected William engaged in so senseless and cruel a sport.”
“Impossible or not, Master Archer,” retorted the other, “it is nevertheless a fact, and I can give you ample proof of the truth of my words. One of my father’s workmen has recently been engaged in cutting down several large trees in the wood adjoining our house. On the last day that William was absent from school, he assures me that he spent the whole of our school hours in climbing trees and robbing the pretty birds of their young. He reproved him for his cruelty, but William only replied that he had a use for them, and went on his way. Probably he intended to enjoy the pleasure of giving the poor things to his cat.”
Herbert, who was a great enemy to all cruelty, could hardly restrain his indignation, and as William entered at that moment, he turned to him abruptly, and demanded, with some authority of manner, if it was true that he had stayed from school a few days before for the purpose of robbing birds’ nests? Somewhat hurt and offended at the tone in which Herbert addressed him, and at the indignant countenances of his schoolmates, William answered, rather shortly,—
“That it was perfectly true that he had taken several young birds from their nests a day or two previous, and thought it quite probable that he should do so again, if it suited his convenience.”
This was a wrong way of answering, and only increased the ill feeling which prevailed against him. George Wilson looked triumphantly at Herbert, who was only restrained from a burst of passion by the entrance of the teacher, and the usual summons to their studies.
After school, instead of joining William, as usual, that they might walk part of the way together, Herbert carefully avoided him, and selecting another companion, declared his intention of having nothing more to do with one who could thus wantonly engage in cruel sport.
This resolution he also expressed to his father, after relating to him the circumstances which had come to his knowledge. Mr. Archer shook his head, saying, “Are you sure there are not two sides to the story, my son?” But Herbert replied in a positive manner that there could not be another side, as William had himself admitted the truth of the charge.
Nothing farther was said upon the subject, and Mr. Archer soon forgot the whole affair.
Weeks passed on, and the intimacy between the two boys was not resumed. William continued to absent himself occasionally from school, and several boys testified that they had two or three times met him with young birds in his hand, and when asked what he intended doing with them, he had replied in his usual unsatisfactory manner.