The Burgess Bird Book for ChildrenBurgess, Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo)
General
The Burgess Bird Book for Children
Burgess, Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo)
Birds -- Juvenile literature
Peter was so intent watching these two friends of his that he took no
heed to his footsteps. Suddenly there was a whirr from almost under
his very nose and he stopped short, so startled that he almost squealed
right out. In a second he recognized Mrs. Meadow Lark. He watched
her fly over to where Carol was singing. Her stout little wings moved
swiftly for a moment or two, then she sailed on without moving them at
all. Then they fluttered rapidly again until she was flying fast enough
to once more sail on them outstretched. The white outer feathers of her
tail showed clearly and reminded Peter of the tail of Sweetvoice the
Vesper Sparrow, only of course it was ever so much bigger.
Peter sat still until Mrs. Meadow Lark had alighted on the fence near
Carol. Then he prepared to hurry on, for he was anxious for a bit of
gossip with these good friends of his. But just before he did this he
just happened to glance down and there, almost at his very feet, he
caught sight of something that made him squeal right out. It was a nest
with four of the prettiest eggs Peter ever had seen. They were white
with brown spots all over them. Had it not been for the eggs he never
would have seen that nest, never in the world. It was made of dry, brown
grass and was cunningly hidden is a little clump of dead grass which
fell over it so as to almost completely hide it. But the thing that
surprised Peter most was the clever way in which the approach to it was
hidden. It was by means of a regular little tunnel of grass.
“Oh!” cried Peter, and his eyes sparkled with pleasure. “This must be
the nest of Mrs. Meadow Lark. No wonder I have never been able to find
it, when I have looked for it. It is just luck and nothing else that
I have found it this time. I think it is perfectly wonderful that Mrs.
Meadow Lark can hide her home in such a way. I do hope Jimmy Skunk isn't
anywhere around.”
Peter sat up straight and anxiously looked this way and that way. Jimmy
Skunk was nowhere to be seen and Peter gave a little sigh of relief.
Very carefully he walked around that nest and its little tunnel, then
hurried over toward the fence as fast as he could go.
“It's perfectly beautiful, Carol!” he cried, just as soon as he was near
enough. “And I won't tell a single soul!”
“I hope not. I certainly hope not,” cried Mrs. Meadow Lark in an anxious
tone. “I never would have another single easy minute if I thought you
would tell a living soul about my nest. Promise that you won't, Peter.
Cross your heart and promise that you won't.”
Peter promptly crossed his heart and promised that he wouldn't tell a
single soul. Mrs. Meadow Lark seemed to feel better. Right away she flew
back and Peter turned to watch her. He saw her disappear in the grass,
but it wasn't where he had found the nest. Peter waited a few minutes,
thinking that he would see her rise into the air again and fly over to
the nest. But he waited in vain. Then with a puzzled look on his face,
he turned to look up at Carol.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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