Page:Story of the robins.djvu/69

 Rh you go with me into the play-room? I have got some very pretty new books.—Frederick, have you nothing to show Edward?" "Oh yes," said Frederick, "I have got a new ball, a new top, a new organ, and twenty pretty things; but I had rather go back and show him the robins."

"The robins?" said Edward, "what robins?"

"Why, our robins, that have built in the ivy-wall. You never saw anything so pretty in your life as the little ones."

"Oh, I can see birds enough at home," said Edward; "but why did you not take the nest? it would have been nice diversion to you to toss the young birds about. I have had a great many nests this year, and do believe I have a hundred eggs."

"A hundred eggs! and how do you propose to hatch them?" said Harriet, who turned back on hearing him talk in this manner.

"Hatch them, Miss Benson?" said he; "who ever thinks of hatching birds' eggs?"

"Oh, then, you eat them," said Frederick, "or perhaps let your cook make puddings of them?"

"No, indeed," replied Edward; "I blow out the inside, and then run a thread through them, and give them to Lucy to hang up among her curiosities; and very pretty they look, I assure you."