lieving," but they reaffirmed their former statement, assuring me that
there were none but harmless cows in the glen. I did not want to waste
time in an unprofitable correspondence, and I did want to see the wrens,
and at last a bright thought came,--I would hire an escort, a country
boy used to cattle, and warranted not afraid of them. I inquired into
the question of day's wages, I looked about among the college students
who were working their way to an education, and I found an ideal
protector,--an intelligent and very agreeable young man, brought up on a
farm, and just graduated, who was studying up mathematics preparatory to
school-teaching in the fall. The bargain was soon made, and the next
morning we started again for the glen, our guardian armed with his
geometry and a big club. Three days, however, had been occupied in
perfecting this arrangement, and I approached the spot with anxiety;
indeed, I am always concerned till I see the whole family I am watching,
after only a night's interval, and know they have survived the many
perils which constantly threaten bird-life, both night and day.

XV.

THE WRENLINGS APPEAR.

The moment we entered the court I saw there was news. My eyes being
attracted by a little commotion on a dogwood-tree, I saw a saucy tufted
titmouse chasing with cries one of the wrens who had food in its beak.
With most birds this proclaims the arrival of the young family as
plainly as if a banner had been hung on the castle walls. Whether the
tit was after the food, or trying to drive the wren off his own ground,
we could not tell, nor did we much care; the important fact was that
babies were out in the walnut-tree cottage. The food bearer went to the
nest, and in a moment came up the ladder, so joyous and full of song
that he could not wait to get off his own tree, but burst into a
triumphant ringing "Whit-e-ar!" that must have told his news to all the
world--who had ears to hear.

The mother did not at once give up her brooding, nor did I wonder when I
peeped into the nest while she was off with her spouse, and saw what
appeared to be five big mouths with a small bag of skin attached to
each. Nothing else could be seen. She sat an hour at a time, and then
her mate would come and call her off for a rest and a change, while he
skipped down the ladder and fed the bairns. His way in this matter, as
in everything else, was characteristic. He never went to the nest till
he had called her o