s of hawks and weasels, to say nothing of bad boys
and big dogs.

But Brownie kept thinking that some day, when he was a little older and
stronger, he would leave the yard, and see whether there were really
such dangers in the fields and woods as his mother said there was.

After a while the pretty brown feathers all dropped out, one after
another, until Brownie looked more like a chicken which had been plucked
than any thing else. Grace could not keep from laughing at the sight of
him; and it was very droll when he popped up on a log, and tried a weak,
quavering crow.

To be sure, Mrs. Speckle did not keep a looking-glass, and I suppose
poor Brownie had no idea how very absurd he looked. To tell the truth,
he thought he was almost grown up, and began to watch for a chance to
begin his journey to see the world. He had not the least doubt that he
would see something fine, if he could only get out of the sight of his
mother, who was so very strict, and had such foolish notions, as he
thought.

So, one day, as Mrs. Speckle was having a friendly chat with Dame
Top-Knot, he took the chance to creep slyly under the fence, and was off
all alone.

"How silly mothers are! And such cowards too!" he said to himself. "I am
sure there's nothing here to hurt me. I would like to see any one meddle
with me!"

At this instant he felt a sharp peck; and a voice said close to his ear,
"Halloo, little one, you had better start for home!"

He looked up, and saw young Green-Wing, who was two months older, and
boasted a comb of good size, to say nothing of his sharp spurs.

Brownie thought it best to say nothing after the first "peep," and hid,
trembling with fright, under the first leaf he could find. But the sun
shone, the sky was a lovely blue, the ground was bright with flowers,
and there were many bugs crawling about. Brownie had quite a feast, and
was beginning to regain his spirits, when something happened which
turned all his thoughts topsy-turvy.

The sky grew dark all at once. Something caught hold of him, and
Brownie felt himself going up, up, so swiftly, that it quite took his
breath away. "It must be a thousand miles," he thought.

Crack! went a gun. Then the hawk let go and Brownie went down, down to
the ground, where he lay for a long time as if he were dead.

When he opened his eyes it was almost dark. The sun had set, and he had
forgotten the way home. "I shall never see mamma again," he sobbed. "I
wish I had bee