few rods from the tree that contained the nest, from
which Frank had taken the little bird only two days before.

When they heard the notes of the brother and sister birds, Fanny
thought, that had it not been for her, the little one that they
carried would have been chirping as merrily as they, and this made her
cry again.

She sat down on a little mount of grass, and watched Frank as he
prepared the grave. It was a beautiful spot. The broad, green boughs
of a noble oak shaded them from the sun, and a placid little brook
wound along through the long grass and brake leaves at their feet.
Tall stems of blue-bells blossomed around, and modest little daisies
sprang from the turf every where. After Frank finished burying the
bird, he heaped up the green moss, all about it, and then sat down
beside his sister. Putting his arm around her neck, he drew her close
to him, while he clasped both of her hands in his.

[Illustration: FRANK AND FANNY.]

Her eyes still rested upon the little mount of moss beneath which the
bird was buried, and the tears were still welling from them.

"Don't cry any more, dear Fanny," he said; "don't cry any more, I am
sure we have both repented doing so wrong, and we never shall forget
how unhappy it has made us. Grandmother has often said that every
thing is for the best; and perhaps, this will make us more careful to
try to do right--so don't cry any more."

"I do try not to cry, Franky, and then I think how sweetly the little
bird would have been singing to-day, if it had not been for me, and
how badly the papa and mamma birds must have felt, when you took it
away, and I can't help crying. And perhaps, the little bird will go
to heaven, Frank, and it might see our mamma, and tell her how naughty
we had been to take it from its nest, and then she would think we were
such bad children--oh, dear;" and Fanny breathed another long sigh.

For some time the children sat very quietly, occupied with their own
thoughts, but at length Frank proposed that they should gather twigs,
and make a fence around the grave. Alter this was completed, it looked
very neat, and Frank thought that if the birds could see it, they
would think it was a very nice little grave.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER IV.

COUNTRY AMUSEMENTS AND OCCUPATIONS.

Frank and Fanny were permitted to keep pigeons. They had a pigeon
house at the back of the barn, with windows opening into the yard,
which could be entered by going up