an play the rest of the day. If a
flock of bobolinks comes along you may be able to catch one, though they
are very shy, and do not stop long in any one place."

The next morning the sun rose radiantly in the eastern sky, and climbed
up among the golden clouds, and all the early birds joined in a glad
song of welcome. The robin chanted from the lofty branches of the elm;
the bluebird, with plumage brighter than the bluest sky, glided in and
out among the apple-trees, and enlivened the scene by its occasional
joyous song; the red linnet whistled and chattered in the shrubbery, and
the sparrow chirped in the hedge. All around seemed full of life and
joy.

The bobolink swung from the highest branches, and poured out his
ecstatic feelings in thrilling song.

The children went to the fields amid all this morning music, and tried
to translate the song of each bird into English.

The robin chanted, "Kill him! cure him! Kill him! cure him! Give him
physic!"

Who he wanted treated in this manner they could not tell, but that
seemed to be the language of his song.

The voice of the linnet or bluebird could not be interpreted easily, but
the bobolink spoke very plainly, and seemed personal in his remarks,
which were evidently intended for the eldest boy; for he said over and
over again, "Samuel! Samuel!--Samuel, planting, planting. Samuel!
Samuel! planting for bobolink! bobolink!"

This chattering and singing were kept up all the forenoon, and the
children resolved that when their play-time came in the afternoon they
would set some traps and try to secure one of these saucy songsters, who
had been talking so much to Samuel during the forenoon.

Soon as dinner was over the three hurried off to the sheep pasture,
where, among the maple-trees, a large flock of bobolinks were evidently
resting a day or two on their journey towards Canada, that they might
feast on the scattered grains of an old wheat-field near by. The
children took a few handfuls of wheat, which they scattered upon the
ground; and, as Maggie could sew better than the boys, she strung some
grains of wheat on a small thread. This was tied to a slender prop which
held up the cover of the trap, which was made by putting four blocks
together in the shape of a box. In it was a handful of wheat. When all
was ready the children hid behind some shrubbery and watched and waited
the result. They whispered to each other, and laid plans concerning what
could be done with