The busy sparrows in the streets, who were obliged to work industriously all day in order to get sufficient food, had very little to say to these young fellows who assumed so many foolish airs and graces, flying about first this way and then that, as if they had taken leave of their senses. They flew down the streets among the horses, until they came near getting run over two or three times; darted around among the boys, until one came so near being caught that he lost two of his tail feathers in the struggle; and then the party seated themselves on the roof of a house to decide what was best to be done. In a window almost opposite where they were sitting was a stuffed sparrow, mounted so skillfully that it looked as if it was alive. It was not many moments before the party from the Park saw the motionless bird, and without a thought that it was dead, proposed to have some sport with the stranger. "He's a terribly glum-looking fellow," said the youngest of the party. "Let's go over and wake him up." "He sits there as if he owned the whole city," said another, "and it will do him good to let him know that there are some in town who amount to as much as he does." "Let's all fly down at once, and scare him," proposed the third; and no sooner was the idea suggested than it was carried into execution. Down the four flew with a rush, directly past the solemn bird; but instead of showing signs of fear, he never winked. Then the visitors perched on the ledge of the window, daring the stranger to come out and knock them off, and making use of a great many unsparrowly remarks; but no reply was made. "I'll go up and flirt my wings in his face," said the most reckless one of the party; "and if that don't make him speak, I'm mistaken." Full of the idea that he was about to do some brave thing in thus attacking one poor lone bird, this impudent sparrow did as he had said he would, and great was the surprise of all four when the stranger tumbled over as stiff as a poker. [Illustration: "HAVE WE KILLED HIM?"] At first the party were afraid they had carried their sport too far, and committed murder. For a moment they were so frightened that their only thought was of flight; and then they noticed that the stranger had not moved a muscle since he had been struck, but lay with raised wings just as he had been sitting. There was something strange about it all, for it surely did not seem as if a little blow like the one given could have killed the bird, and they ventured in to examine the supposed victim. So intent were they upon the examination that they did not notice that any one had entered the room, until they heard a low voice say, "Oh, Nellie, get some salt quick, and we can catch them all."