bird near it, and then waits to see the end, which was as she had thought; and it gave her joy to see how the bird smooths his plumes, and his eyes get bright; she once more put food to him, which he took, and soon got quite well. When she had done all she could for her young charge, she went to share with Fred the task to feed the birds which came day by day; which, when she had done, she sat down to eat by her Ma.

"I can't think," said Fred, whose tears were now dry, "why the Red-breasts are not

"You know," said Har-ri-et, "that they have a great deal to do, now their young ones have left their nest; they will be here by-and-by, I make no doubt.”

Just then, they came to the room. The sight of them made Fred quite glad; and

when they flew off, he asks that he and Har-ri-et might go to the field in hopes that they might see the young ones.

may go

"That you shall do, Fred," said she, “if you still are a good boy; but as the last was a day on which you did no tasks, and Har-ri-et has a great deal to do, you must wait till the day is past, and then I with you." Fred said this would do, and took great pains to read and spell. He said by heart one of Mrs. Bar-bauld's hymns, and some things which he had been taught; and Har-ri-et gave her whole care to what she had to learn, and did her work quite well, so as to please her Ma.

CHAP-TER XV.

As soon as the Red-breasts left their young ones that they might go to Mrs. Ben-son's, Pecks, the kind bird, went on to ask Rob where he had been hurt, and how he did.

"Oh," said he, "I am just well now, but I did not think I should have life in me, for you can scarce think what a bad fall I have had. When I had those turns in the air, I got quite light in my head, so could not do a thing to save me; and I fell and came with great force to the ground; you see how my eye is still swoln, and it was much more so at first. My wing is the worst, and still gives me a good deal of pain; see

how it drags on the ground; but as it is not broke, my Pa says it will soon be well; and I hope it will be so, for I long to fly, and shall be glad to mind what they tell me next time. I can't think how I should be such a fool as to think I knew how to act, when my Pa was not at hand to teach me.

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Young things like us," said Pecks, “do stand in need of help, and ought to think it a good thing that we have those who will take the pains to teach us what we need to know. I dread the day when I must quit the nest, and lack their care.

Flaps said she made no doubt they should know how to fly, and peck, and do all sorts of things ere that time came; and, for her part, she had a wish to see the world and to know how the large birds were wont to act, and what joys they had.

And Dick said he felt the same wish, though he must say he had a great dread of birds

"Oh," said Flaps, "they will not seize such a nice bird as you, Dick, I am sure."

"Why, if to be nice will gain the day from bad birds, you will be safe, my dear, for your slim shape must plead your cause."

Just as he had said this, a hawk came in sight, on which the whole set of them felt in a great fright and threw them on their backs, and gave forth great screams; and at the same time the cries of all the birds which were near sound through the air. The Redbreasts soon come to, and rise on their feet and look round to see where the cause of their fears had gone; when they see him high in the air as he bore off some sad bird, a few of whose plumes fell near the young brood,