those who might pass; but some did not think I told the truth, and some gave me so small a sum, that I felt quite down at heart; I thought I would not ask more; but the sight of my dear man and the babes in this state drove me to do it."

"Well, we will see what we can do," said Mrs. Ben-son; " in the mean time here is some help to get you the food you now want." She then went on, as she did not like to walk late.

"I am glad," said Mrs. Ben-son, as they were on their way home, "that I came in time to help these poor folk, and hope, my love, you will, from your own purse, give them some too."

66

'They shall have my whole store," said Har-ri-et.

Thus they talk till they get home. Fred, who sat up an hour past his time, came out to

meet them, and told Har-ri-et that the birds were well and gone fast to sleep.

"I think," said she, "it is time for

me to do as they have done; for

you and

my part, with my two walks, I am quite tired, so I wish you good night, my dear Ma."

"Good night, my love," said Mrs. Ben-son; "I feel tired too, and shall soon go to rest."

CHAP-TER XIV.

Ar the hour at which they used to go to Mrs. Ben-son's, the next day the old birds took their flight and found Fred and Har-ri-et with their Ma. They had been up a long time, for Fred

had made in the room where he slept a place for the birds, which had made him and Har-ri-et wake at the dawn; and they rose with joy to do the kind task they said they would do.

The two large birds were quite well, but the small one had a droop, and they had a fear lest they should not raise him, when they found, too, he did not care to eat. As for the black-birds, they ate well; and their young friends, who did not think how, when fed by the old ones, young birds wait some time for each meal, gave them their food too fast, and made their crops so full, that it had the look as if they had great wens in their necks, and Har-ri-et saw one of them gasp for breath.

"Stop, Fred," said she, as he put the quill to its mouth; "the bird is so full he can hold no more."

But she spoke too late, the poor thing shut

his eyes, and fell on one side: he had got too much.

"But I

Oh, he is dead! he is dead!" said Fred. "He is, in truth," said Har-ri-et. am sure we did not wish to kill him, and it is well to think that we did not take the nest."

This thought did not soothe Fred, who went on to cry; his Ma, who heard him, thought he was hurt, for he did not cry at most times if he was not in great pain; so she ran to the room to ask what it was, on which Har-ri-et told what had been done.

Mrs. Ben-son then sat down, and took Fred on her lap, and wiped the tears from his eyes, and gave him a kiss, and said:

"I grieve, my love, for your loss, but do not be sad; the poor thing is out of his pain now, and, I think, did not feel it for a long

time. If you keep on to cry so, you will not think to feed your flock of birds, which, I think, by the chirps I heard from my room, are now near at hand. Come, let me take the dead bird out of your sight; it must be put in a grave." Then she took it in one hand, and led Fred down stairs.

While she spoke, Har-ri-et had her eye on the bird that was left, which she soon had the joy to see quite at his ease. She then tried to feed the small bird, but he would

not eat.

"I think, Miss," said the maid, "he wants air."

66 That may be the case," said Miss Ben-son, "for you know, Bess, this room, which has been shut up all night, must be much more close than the birds build in." When she said this, she threw up the sash, and put the