us even more than it does mankind--
the careless and unthinking race from which you came. The residents of
the forest are good parents, helpful neighbors, and faithful friends.
What better than this could be said of us?"

"Nothing, I'm sure, if it is true," replied the girl.

"Over in the Land of Paradise," continued the owl, thoughtfully, "the
birds are not obliged to take life in order to live themselves; so they
call us savage and fierce. But I believe our natures are as kindly as
those of the Birds of Paradise."

"Where is this Land of Paradise you speak of?" asked Twinkle.

"Directly in the center of our forest. It is a magical spot, protected
from intrusion not by any wall or barred gates, but by a strong wind
that blows all birds away from that magnificent country except the
Birds of Paradise themselves. There is a legend that man once lived
there, but for some unknown crime was driven away. But the birds have
always been allowed to inhabit the place because they did no harm."

"I'd like to see it," said Chubbins.

"So would I," confessed the gray owl, with a sigh; "but there is no use
of my attempting to get into the Paradise of Birds, because the wind
would blow me back. But now it is getting quite dark, and I must be off
to seek my food. Mrs. 'Possum and I have agreed to hunt together,
tonight."

"Who is Mrs. 'Possum?" the girl asked.

"An animal living in the lowest hollow of this tree," answered the owl.
"She is a good-natured creature, and hunts by night, as I do. She is
slow, but, being near the ground, she can spy a mouse much quicker than
I can, and then she calls to me to catch it. So between us we get
plenty of game and are helpful to each other. The only drawback is that
Mrs. 'Possum has four children, which she carries in her pouch wherever
she goes, and they have to be fed as well as their mother. So the
'possums have five mouths to my one, and it keeps us busy to supply
them all."

"It's very kind of you to help her," remarked Twinkle.

"Oh, she helps me, too," returned the owl, cheerfully. "But now good
night, my dears. You will probably be sound asleep when I get home
again."

Off flew Mrs. Hootaway with these words, and her wings moved so
noiselessly that she seemed to fade away into the darkness like a
ghost.

The child-larks sat looking at the silver moon for a time; but
presently Twinkle's eyelids drooped and she fell fast asleep, and
Chubbins was not long in following her exa