asked the lady.

"Four," answered Fred; "but one was a naughty bird, and his parents had a great deal of trouble with him. The other was a little darling; but after these[Pg 96] went away, and did not come back, she pined, and at last the old robins flew away with her."

[Pg 96]

Annie then related how Molly was fastened to the nest.

The whole party of children were standing about eagerly listening. "Well," said the gentleman, "I will close the doors of the room and open the cage. If they fly to you, or seem in any way to recognize you, I will restore your property."[Pg 97]

[Pg 97]

"And the cage too," said the lady.

"Birdie, birdie," called the little girl.

Katy hopped quickly from her perch, and flying over the heads of the others, alighted on Annie's shoulder.

Jack quickly followed, and perched on her head.

"If you will please give me some crumbs," said the happy girl, tears of joy standing in her[Pg 98] eyes, "I will show you how they eat from my mouth."

[Pg 98]

"Here, birdie," she cried, placing a piece between her teeth.

Jack alighted on her finger, then flew forward and caught the crumb in his beak, after which both he and his sister repeated the feat many times.

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[Pg 99] call the robins as Annie had done.

[Pg 99]

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[Pg 100] moment she returned, they flew to meet her, 

 Prev. P 20/22 next