ce where the old witch 'chanted us."

"Then," said the officer of the forest, "I must try to get it for you."

"It is too big and heavy for a bird to carry," suggested Twinkle.

"Sure enough. Of course. That's a fact." He turned his crested head
upward, trying to think of a way, and saw a black speck moving across
the sky.

"Wait a minute! I'll be back," he called, and darted upward like a
flash.

The children watched him mount into the sky toward the black speck, and
heard his voice crying out in sharp, quick notes. And before long
Policeman Bluejay attracted the other bird's attention, causing it to
pause in its flight and sink slowly downward until the two drew close
together.

Then it was seen that the other bird was a great eagle, strong and
sharp-eyed, and with broad wings that spread at least six feet from tip
to tip.

"Good day, friend eagle," said the bluejay; "I hope you are in no
hurry, for I want to ask you to do me a great favor."

"What is it?" asked the eagle, in a big, deep voice.

"Please go to a part of the forest with me and carry a basket to some
friends of mine. I'll show you the way. It is too heavy for me to lift,
but with your great strength you can do it easily."

"It will give me pleasure to so favor you," replied the eagle,
politely; so Policeman Bluejay led the way and the eagle followed with
such mighty strokes of its wings that the air was sent whirling in
little eddies behind him, as the water is churned by a steamer's
paddles.

It was not very long before they reached the clearing in the forest.
The horrid tuxix had wriggled her evil body away, to soothe her
disappointment by some other wicked act; but the basket stood as the
children had left it.

The eagle seized the handle in his stout beak and found it was no
trouble at all for him to fly into the air and carry the basket with
him.

"This way, please--this way!" chirped the bluejay; and the eagle bore
the precious burden safely to the maple tree, and hung it upon a limb
just above the nest.

As he approached he made such a fierce fluttering that Twinkle and
Chubbins were dreadfully scared and flew out of their nest, hopping
from limb to limb until they were well out of the monstrous bird's way.
But when they saw the basket, and realized the eagle's kindly act, they
flew toward him and thanked him very earnestly for his assistance.

"Goodness me!" exclaimed the eagle, turning his head first on one side
and then on