ook them home to his famishing children.

Though he worked his hardest, Mrs. Wren hadn't a smile for him. And when
she said anything in his hearing, it was some such remark as this: "You
poor, hungry dears! It's a pity you can't have all you need to eat. I
only hope your scanty meals won't stunt your growth."

Naturally such speeches didn't make her husband feel any more at his
ease.

"I'll have to bring home something special, to please her," he thought.
"I wish I could find some dainty that would put her in better humor."

So he looked all around to see what he could discover that was different
from the food he had been gathering. And it wasn't long before he gave a
chirp of delight. "Here's a pretty beetle!" he cried. "I know it will
make Mrs. Wren smile when I show it to her."

Thereupon Rusty Wren pounced upon Mrs. Ladybug and bore her away,
struggling, in his bill.

V

A HARD SHELL

RUSTY WREN hurried home, carrying Mrs. Ladybug despite her frantic
efforts to escape. She wriggled all her six legs at the same time.

"She'll be pleased with this one," Rusty murmured, as he watched Mrs.
Ladybug's struggles. "Mrs. Wren will certainly thank me when I give her
this morsel."

And she did.

"How lovely!" Mrs. Wren exclaimed when Rusty gave her his captive.

And he was so glad that he hastened away to try to find another just
like that one. But he hadn't gone far before he said, "Ugh! I hope I
haven't made a mistake. I don't like the taste of that beetle." And he
dropped down upon the ground and carefully wiped his bill upon the
grass.

He couldn't help feeling somewhat worried.

"I don't believe the children will notice anything wrong," he muttered.
"So far, they've never refused anything that was offered them. But if
Mrs. Wren tried to eat that beetle herself, I fear there'll be trouble."

And there was. Rusty knew it a few minutes later, when little Mr.
Chippy's son, Chippy, Jr., came flitting up and peeped in his childish
voice, "Please, sir, Mrs. Wren wants you at once."

There was nothing to do except to go home. And Rusty went.

He found Mrs. Wren much upset.

"Are you trying to poison us?" she demanded.

"No, indeed--my love!" Rusty Wren replied meekly.

"Well, you made a terrible mistake, then," she declared.

Meanwhile Rusty Wren was looking all around. Yet he couldn't see the
pretty beetle (meaning Mrs. Ladybug) anywhere. "Somebody must have
swallowed it, anyhow," he thought.