sight of the mill.

They had been detained so long that the chaises had reached the mill
before, them; and the party in the chaises were looking out down the
path where they expected the boys were to come out, watching for them
with considerable interest:

"There they come at last," said Lucy, as she perceived a movement among
the bushes, and saw Old Trumpeter's white head coming forward.

"Yes," said Rollo's mother, "but they have met with some accident. Jonas
has lost his cap."

By this time the boys had emerged from the bushes, and were coming along
the path slowly, Jonas bareheaded, and Rollo holding on carefully. Lucy
saw that Jonas was holding something before him, on the saddle, and
wondered what it was. Rollo's mother said she was afraid they had got
hurt.

As soon as they came within hearing Rollo heard his father's voice
calling out to him,

"Rollo, what is the matter? Have you got into any difficulty?"

"Yes, sir," said Rollo; "we had some difficulty; and I should be sorry I
did not take your advice, only then we should not have found this little
bird."

"What bird?" said they all.

By this time, they had come up near the chaises, and Jonas carefully
lifted the birdsnest out of his cap, and held it so that they could all
see it, while Rollo told them the story. They all looked much pleased
but Lucy seemed in delight. She wanted to have it go in their chaise,
and asked Rollo to let her hold the nest in her lap.

Rollo did not answer very directly, for he was busy looking at the
bird,--seeing him open his mouth, and wishing he had something to give
him to eat.

"Father," said he, "what shall we feed him with? Jonas was going to
catch a grasshopper, but I thought that would not be right."

"Why not?" said uncle George.

"Because," said Rollo, "he has as good a right to his life as the bird,
has not he, father?"

"Not exactly," said his father: "a bird is an animal of much higher
grade than a grasshopper, and is probably much more sensible of pain and
pleasure, and his life is of more value; just as a man is a much higher
animal than a bird. It would be right to kill a bird to save a man's
life, even if he were only an animal; and so it would be right to
destroy a grasshopper, or a worm, to save a robin."

"But I read in a book once," said Lucy, "that, when we tread on a worm,
he feels as much pain in being killed as a giant would."

"I do not think it is true," said he. "I think that there i