the alleys, and from the
parks, from behind the houses and stores, until a cloud of them hung
above the maple tree, and filled the air with their screams.

Mrs. Robin and the youngster robins stayed close to the trunk of the
maple, but Robert Robin scorned to seek shelter, and bravely fought
against the great odds. Sparrow after sparrow went fluttering to the
earth under the swift blows of Robert Robin's strong bill, but on they
came by scores, and Robert Robin was beginning to tire.

A woman was sitting in a rocking chair by her front porch window. She
was reading a book and she was not paying any attention to the birds.

Her husband was a night watch, and he slept during the day.

"What are those pesky sparrows making so much noise about?" he called
from his bedroom. "They keep me awake with their heckling!"

"They are fighting some robins in the maple tree!" said the woman.

"Let the cat out!" said the man.

The woman got up from her rocking chair and let her yellow cat out of
the back door.

The big yellow cat heard the sparrows screaming, and tiptoed around the
house until he came in sight of the maple tree. When the big yellow cat
saw the flock of sparrows in the maple tree, he said to himself, "I will
creep close to those birds, then I will pounce upon one and have it for
my supper!"

The big yellow cat crouched under the barberry hedge and crept towards
the sparrows.

Oliver Sparrow came flying straight at Robert Robin's red breast. Quick
as a flash Robert Robin struck with his strong bill, and Oliver Sparrow
fell towards the ground. It was then that the big yellow cat sprang from
under the hedge.

"A cat! A cat! A cat!" screamed all the sparrows, and away they flew
back to the alleys, and parks, and behind the houses and stores, leaving
Robert Robin, and Mrs. Robert Robin, and all their children very tired
but unharmed.

"Kitty! Kitty! Kitty! Kitty! Kitty!" called the woman, and the big
yellow cat went bounding across the lawn.

Just then Cousin Phineas came home.

"My stars! If there isn't Cousin Robert, and all his folks!" shouted
Cousin Phineas. "Welcome to our city!"

"Glad to see you again, Cousin Phineas!" said Robert Robin. "But I
cannot say that I like your neighbors!"

"Have those wicked sparrows been here again?" asked Cousin Phineas.

"I have just had a fine fight with more sparrows than I ever saw before
in all my life!" said Robert Robin.

"It must have been that Oliver Sparr