sure to see it the moment she wakes."

She did so and went quietly away. Half an hour later, coming back again
to see if Hoodie was still sleeping, she heard as she opened the door
the sound of the little girl's voice. She had just awakened and had
discovered the return of her bird. She was in an ecstasy of delight,
very pretty to hear and see.

"Oh my darling little bird," she was saying, "oh my sweet, innocent pet,
have you come back? oh my dear, _dear_ bird! You didn't mean to go away
from Hoodie, did you? You lost your way, didn't you? Hoodie will never
speak c'oss again, birdie, _never_. I do think God is vezzy kind to send
you back again, and I _will_ try to please Him by being good, 'cos He's
so kind."

Magdalen stood still and watched her, with pleasure, but with a strange
sort of slight sadness and misgiving too. There was something almost
startling in the little girl's extreme love for the bird, and it made
her cousin wish it could be bestowed on a higher object.

"Why can't she love her sister and brothers more?" she thought to
herself. "I do not know what she would do now if anything again happened
to the bird. I wonder if it would have been better if it had not come
back. But no, I must not think that. _All_ love must do good to a nature
like Hoodie's, and her love for the bird may teach her other things. And
oh, I should have been sorry to leave her while she was as unhappy as
she was yesterday."

Then she came forward into the room, and when Hoodie saw her, there was
a fresh cry of delight, and Magdalen had to tell her over and over again
exactly how it had all happened; how it was that she was up so early,
how birdie flew in and then out again, and how Magdalen feared that
after all she might not be able to catch him, and how delighted she was
when she felt sure she had got him safe.

"I was so glad to think how pleased you would be, Hoodie, dear!" she
said.

"Thank you, Cousin Magdalen, you are vezzy kind," said Hoodie. "And I
think God is vezzy kind too, for you know I said my prayers to Him last
night to send birdie back again, so He must have told him to come.
P'raps He sent a' angel to show birdie the way. I'm going to be vezzy
good now, Cousin Magdalen, _awful_ good, alvays, 'cos God was kind and
sent birdie back. _Won't_ God be glad?"

"Yes, dear, God is always glad when His little children are good. He
likes them to be happy, and being good is the only way," said Magdalen.

"But won't