Page:Story of the robins.djvu/95

Rh sat in the nest, what must it now be to behold their full size, and see them advancing with, as he thought, gigantic strides towards him? He expected nothing less than to be crushed to death with the foot of one of them; and not having yet attained his full strength, and never having raised himself in the air, he knew not how to escape, therefore chirped so loudly as not only to surprise his brother and sisters, and bring his father and mother to inquire the meaning of his cry, but also to attract the attention of the young Bensons. "What chirping is that?" cried Harriet. "It was the cry of a young bird," said the maid; "was it not one of those in the baskets?"

"No," said Frederick, "the noise came that way," pointing to some currant bushes; "my birds are very well." "And so is my linnet," replied Harriet. Frederick then set down his charge very carefully and began looking about in the place from whence he supposed the sound proceeded, when, to his great joy, he soon discovered the redbreasts and their little family. He called eagerly to his sister, who was equally pleased with the sight. They then stooped down to take a nearer view of them, by which means he directly confronted Robin, who, as soon as the