nce, and
wriggled about in all directions, as if in pursuit of hiding places, or
their company dress and manners. They were evidently not prepared to
receive visitors. But that did not make any difference to Bertie. He
hung as many as he thought the robin could relish across a stick, and
with much difficulty--for the worms were constantly dropping off--he
made his way back to the porch without the loss of a single crawler.
But when he got there the birdy would not eat. Was not that a pity? They
coaxed in every way. Flora even talked to him with tears in her eyes,
but it was of no use. He did not open his bill or take any notice of the
nice breakfast spread before him.

"Too bad!" said Flora. "Will he die?"

"I am afraid he will."

Bertie gazed sadly at the writhing worms.

"He will starve in a land of plenty, and I don't see how anybody is to
help it. Who could resist such a tempting breakfast as that?"

"I couldn't," said Flora.

"And I couldn't. And if he does not hurry up, there won't be any
breakfast to eat. Look at that--and that."

Bertie pointed to a well-fattened, tender morsel, in such haste to be
off that it was hanging over the very edge of the flooring, and to
another whose thick-set body was fast disappearing between the boards.

"That is what I call a tight squeeze. They might stop to say good
morning."

"Worms don't know everything," returned Flora.

"Not quite everything," said Bertie.

"What shall we do next?"

"Perhaps he is thirsty. Dinah is."

"And you are?"

"Yes, I are."

Water was brought; but the birdy would not drink, although he opened his
bill so wide when Flora pushed his head into the porringer that she
thought he was drinking.

"He is only gasping," said Bertie. "Birds cannot breathe with their
heads under water. Nobody can."

"I can."

"No, dear."

"Minims can."

"Oh, yes, minims can. But minims are fishes, and they live in the water.
That is their home. Birds live in the air. They build little houses in
the trees."

"Live in the sky. I have seen them way up."

"They do fly almost as high as the sky; but when night comes and they
are tired of flying, they go home to rest."

"In the little houses?"

"Yes, dear."

"Want to see them."

"They are high up in the trees, out of sight. By and by, when the leaves
fall off and the birds fly away, I will get you one of the round nests."

"To put the robin in."

"If we have any robin."

"Got one now."

"But