Page:Old ninety-nine's cave.djvu/124

 "Well," said Mr. De Vere, "how many of us are going to church to-day?"

"From the looks of things outside, I infer the congregation will be a slim one," said Jack, helping himself to another pancake.

Just then the soft, sweet warble of a bluebird was heard through the open window, and looking out, they saw on the limb of an apple tree this welcome harbinger of spring, singing his plaintively sweet song. While they listened, his mate flew over his head and alighted near on a twig with an audacious flirt, but he kept on singing for fully three minutes, then with a dash of snow they flew away.

"Truly spring is not far off," observed Mr. De Vere, "but appearances indicate that Reuben will need help in shovelling paths."

Many hands make light work, and Jack, Hernando and Elisha, armed with shovels, soon cleared walks to the street, and then turned toward the barn. Suddenly Jack called out, "Father, there is a flock of your old friends." Twenty or thirty little black-capped birds were fluttering near the back