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 are too giddy to be trusted, and after all we mustn't expect to find old heads on young shoulders;" and he stroked his gray beard with a very satisfied air.

After the barn-cat had gone, he followed cautiously at a distance. He knew better than to trust himself under the piazza again; so he wedged himself into a space between the house and a large stone, just around the corner, where he could hear without being detected. When he was comfortably settled, he smiled again to himself to think how wise he was.

"Well," he heard Polly say, "here we are again, except the sparrow,—he's late."

"Just as likely as not we'll never see him again," said the barn-cat. "You can't place any reliance on these tramps. I never did like his looks, I must confess."

"I don't believe he's a bad fellow at heart," said the canary; "he seemed very anxious to have that little girl taken care of,