's lamentations as they crossed the meadow which was spread in
front of their house towards a little wood, which was the home of many a
bird of the pigeon or dove species, and therefore Marten thought would
be the most likely place to go first to look after the strayed ones.
Think, then, what must have been his joy as they entered the second
meadow not far from the stile, absolutely to behold the ringdoves, his
mamma's own ringdoves walking upon the grass cooing and billing, and
turning about their soft eyes in this direction and the other, as if
half afraid of the freedom they had acquired for themselves. As to
Reuben, he was so pleased, that the little foolish fellow clapped his
hands and shouted for joy, which so alarmed the doves, that they took to
their wings and soared high, but flutteringly in the air, as if in their
fright they did not know what they ought to do for their own safety.
Marten was very angry with Reuben for his folly--very angry indeed, and
I hardly know what it was he said; only this I do know, that he took the
box of cake from the child's hand, and bade him stand at a particular
spot--about twenty yards or so, in a direction farthest from the wood,
and from the stile leading to their home; "and there," he added, "remain
till I tell you you may stir, if you are so stupid as not to know that
clapping your hands and shouting loud will frighten any birds,
particularly timid ones like doves--tame doves, especially, who have
strayed from their home."

Marten looked so cross, that Reuben did not even like to cry, for he
felt he had been very silly; so the poor little fellow stood where his
brother had bade him stand, half afraid to breathe, and quite afraid of
moving--lest by any noise he should again drive away the doves, and
Marten should again be angry. And there we will leave him to speak of
how his brother set himself to work to reclaim his mother's birds.

I have said before that he had some cake in a box in his hand, and
having tossed off his hat--lest by any accident it should fall off when
he was stooping forwards, he threw himself upon the grass his full
length, and as he rested on his right hand; with his left he sprinkled
some of the cake he had with him on the ground, to attract the doves
near to him, in the hope he would catch one; and the second, he rightly
guessed, would not then be long out of his power. Marten relied on the
tame habits of the doves, who had been accustomed not only to