Page:Story of the robins.djvu/194

178 they heard a dreadful sound, and saw a young redstart fall bleeding to the ground, on which he struggled just long enough to cry, "Oh, my dear father! why did I not listen to your kind admonitions, which I now find, too late, were the dictates of tenderness!" and then expired.

The little redbreasts were struck with consternation at this dreadful accident, and Pecksy, who recovered the soonest, begged her father would inform her by what means the redstart was killed.

"He was shot to death," said he, "and had you not followed my directions, it might have been the fate of every one of you; therefore let it be a lesson to you to follow every injunction of your parents with the same readiness for the future. You may depend upon it our experience teaches us to foresee many dangers which such young creatures as you have no notion of, and when we desire you to do or to forbear anything, it is for the sake of your safety or advantage. Therefore, Dicky, never more stand, as you sometimes have done, asking why we tell you to do so and so; for had that been the case now, you, who were in a direct line with the gunner, would have been inevitably shot."

They all said they would pay implicit obedience.

"Do so," said he; "but in order to this you must