Page:Sparrow, the tramp (IA sparrowtramp00wess).pdf/61

 *swered the canary, hopping about for joy. "Hallo! what's the barn-cat up to? Do look at her!"

The barn-cat was creeping cautiously along the yard, her body almost touching the ground and her eyes glowing with eagerness. Sometimes she stopped for an instant and swished her tail excitedly, then went on again. The canary and Mrs. Polly soon saw what it was that excited her so. A little sparrow sat on a stone a few rods off, pluming his feathers in a very unconcerned manner. The barn-cat stopped and wriggled her body for a final spring, when all at once Mrs. Polly screamed out, "Scat! scat!" in so loud a voice and so exactly like a human being that the barn-cat stopped in her spring and the sparrow flew up into a bush opposite the dining-*room window.

Certainly the sparrow was a very rowdy-looking bird. His feathers were rumpled