high above her
head.

Soon her eyes began to feel heavy, for she was very tired after her
long walk. She sat down, with her head upon her arm, and in a short
time was fast asleep.

On came the horses, drawing the great reaper with its sharp cutting
knives. Helen's father was driving, and they were coming right toward
the spot where the little child was lying!

Oh, Helen, little does your father think that you are hidden there in
the tall grain!

What was it that made the farmer check his horses all at once? Did
something tell him that his dear baby was in danger?

Oh, no! he thought that she was safe at home with her mother. But he
was a good man with a kind heart, and he saw something that made him
stop.

The lark was flying wildly about over the grain that was in front of
the reaper. She seemed to say, "Stop! stop!" The farmer thought that
he knew what she meant, and he was too kind-hearted to harm a bird's
nest. So he said to one of the men, "Here, Tom, come and hold the
horses. There must be a nest somewhere among this grain. I will walk
in and look for it."

What a cry the men heard when he found little Helen fast asleep by the
lark's nest! How his heart almost stood still when he thought of the
danger that she had been in! He caught her up in his arms and covered
her face with kisses. "Oh, my darling!" he said, "it was the lark that
saved you!"

Yes, it was the lark, and his own kind heart, that had saved her.
Helen was carried home in her father's strong arms. She could not
understand what made the tears run down his cheeks.

It was some time before the men could go on with their work. They left
the grain standing around the lark's nest, to thank her, as they said,
for saving little Helen.

As they stood looking at the little birds in the nest, one of the men,
with big tears in his eyes, said, "God bless the birds! Come away,
boys, and let the little mother feed her babies."

[1] Permission of American Book Company.

ALL ABOUT THE MEADOW LARK

SUGGESTIONS FOR FIELD LESSONS

Usually resident--sometimes goes south in late October, returning in
April.

Song--a very beautiful sweet, clear whistle--heard in the early spring
and in the autumn--usually quite silent during brooding season.

Female much paler in colour than male. General colour brown streaked
with brown and black and cream--breast and throat yellow--conspicuous
black crescent on breast--brown streak on head