d nothing happened. It was very discouraging. Finally
they sat down on the Thorntons' wall to rest.

"Oh, look!" Peggy cried in excitement.

The bird gave a few little hops along the branch and then fluttered down
to a lower perch nearer the cage. The children's eyes grew big with
excitement. Alice jumped down from the wall and ran nearer to the tree
to get a better view. The noise she made startled the bird, and he flew
on to a higher branch.

"There, Alice, see what you've done!" Peggy said.

"Oh, dear, oh, dear!"

They sat still for a long time, and after this Alice did not dare either
to speak or move.

"Well, I guess I'll go home," said Mrs. Butler. "'A watched pot never
boils.' Mebbe you'd like some refreshments as well as Sol. Don't you
want to go home with me and get some lemonade and cake?"

But even this offer could not lure the children from the spot. Peggy was
afraid to go off, even for a moment, for fear the canary would slip in
for a meal and out again before she could close him in. The time passed
slowly. After what seemed hours Mrs. Butler came back and brought them
some cake and lemonade. It tasted very good, but they soon finished it,
and Mrs. Butler went away with the empty dishes, shaking her fist at
Sol.

"You are the most provoking bird," she said, "keeping everybody waiting,
and you so small you could go in one's pocket, if only you hadn't
wings."

Alice lost her patience before Peggy did. "We ought to be going home,"
she said. "Mother'll wonder what has become of us."

"All right, go home if you want to. I'm going to stick right here until
he gets hungry and goes into his house."

"Perhaps I'll come back again," said Alice.

It seemed lonely after Alice had left her. Peggy was tired of keeping
still. She took one run across the Thornton place, but this seemed to
disturb the canary, so she flung herself down on the grass.

"I'll look away while I count a hundred," she said.

She counted a hundred and when she looked back, there was the canary in
his cage, and she had not seen him go in. It was too provoking. She
climbed up, breathless with excitement, and shut the door.

CHAPTER VIII

THE REWARD

Mr. Butler was just coming back from his work as Peggy reached the gate
of his house.

"I've got him," she called triumphantly.

"Bless my soul!" said the old man. "Have you been waiting for him all
this time?"

"Yes," said Peggy

"What a patient little girl you are."