nd leant
against the tree, putting his head down and clasping it with his arms as
far as he could.

"Now then, Madman," said Tom, "you next."

"No, I'm lighter than you; you go next." So Tom got on East's shoulders,
and grasped the tree above, and then Martin scrambled up on to Tom's
shoulders, amidst the totterings and groanings of the pyramid, and, with
a spring which sent his supporters howling to the ground, clasped the
stem some ten feet up, and remained clinging. For a moment or two they
thought he couldn't get up; but then, holding on with arms and teeth, he
worked first one iron then the other firmly into the bark, got another
grip with his arms, and in another minute had hold of the lowest branch.

"All up with the old magpie now," said East; and after a minute's
rest, up went Martin, hand over hand, watched by Arthur with fearful
eagerness.

"Isn't it very dangerous?" said he.

"Not a bit," answered Tom; "you can't hurt if you only get good
hand-hold. Try every branch with a good pull before you trust it, and
then up you go."

Martin was now amongst the small branches close to the nest, and
away dashed the old bird, and soared up above the trees, watching the
intruder.

"All right--four eggs!" shouted he.

"Take 'em all!" shouted East; "that'll be one a-piece."

"No, no; leave one, and then she won't care," said Tom.

We boys had an idea that birds couldn't count, and were quite content as
long as you left one egg. I hope it is so.

Martin carefully put one egg into each of his boxes and the third
into his mouth, the only other place of safety, and came down like a
lamplighter. All went well till he was within ten feet of the ground,
when, as the trunk enlarged, his hold got less and less firm, and at
last down he came with a run, tumbling on to his back on the turf,
spluttering and spitting out the remains of the great egg, which had
broken by the jar of his fall.

"Ugh, ugh! something to drink--ugh! it was addled," spluttered he, while
the wood rang again with the merry laughter of East and Tom.

Then they examined the prizes, gathered up their things, and went off to
the brook, where Martin swallowed huge draughts of water to get rid
of the taste; and they visited the sedge-bird's nest, and from thence
struck across the country in high glee, beating the hedges and brakes as
they went along; and Arthur at last, to his intense delight, was allowed
to climb a small hedgerow oak for a magpie's