," returned Henry; "you know that she cannot fly."

One would have thought that the bird knew what they said, for whilst
they spoke, she laid her head on one side, as if turning an ear--stood
still a minute, and then paraded onwards--I say paraded, for if she had
been walking at a coronation she could not have taken more state upon
herself.

"Let us see which way she goes," said Henry.

And the two children walked after her; Emily bringing the light wicker
cage with her.

Mag knew as well that they were after her as if she had been what the
country people call a Christian, meaning a human creature. And she
walked on, not taking to the shrubs, which grew thick about the hut,
but along a bit of grass-plot, at the farthest end of which was a row
of laurels and other evergreens. These trees hid the back yard of the
house from the garden and small portion of land near to it, which Mr.
Fairchild had given up to flowering shrubs and ornamental trees.

Behind these evergreens was a row of palings, and as Mag drew near to
these laurels, Henry ran forward, crying:

"She will get through the palings, if we don't mind, and into the
yard."

Mag let him come near to her, and then gave a long hop, standing still
till he was only at arm's length from her. Then she gave a second hop,
alighting under a branch of laurel; and when Henry rushed forward to
catch her there, she made another spring, and was hidden among the
leaves.

"Stop! stop!" cried Henry, "stop there, Emily, where you are; and I
will run round and drive her back; and you must be ready to catch her."
And away he ran to the nearest wicket, and was on the other side of the
laurels and the paling, in the fold-yard, not a minute afterwards.

Emily heard him making a noise on the opposite side of the shrubs, as
if he thought Mag was between him and his sister, among the laurels;
and he called also to her, bidding her to be ready when the bird
appeared.

Emily watched and watched, but no bird came out; and not a minute
afterwards she heard Henry cry:

"O there! there! I see her going across the yard towards the barn! Come
round! leave the cage! come quickly, Emily!"

She obeyed the call in an instant; down went the cage on the grass. She
was at the wicket and in the fold-yard in a minute, and there she saw
Mag pacing along the yard, in her coronation step, towards the barn,
being, to all appearance, in no manner of hurry, and seeming to be
quite unconscious of the