The sharp eyes of the little boy had already espied him, and the little feet scampered lightly over the ground. The poor Blackbird's heart sank within him. Nearer, still nearer came the brother and sister, and at last they stopped close by the bush. The Blackbird rose into the air with a shrill, scared cry, and then settled again. Would they hurt him? Could they be so cruel as to rob him of his treasures? "He _must_ have a nest somewhere," said the little boy, as he peeped cautiously into the bush. What was that dark thing on the bough above? The little fellow clapped his hands, wild with excitement. "A nest! a nest!" he cried. The little girl fairly danced with delight. Then the boy slowly put out his hand and caught the bough, and carefully bent it towards him. All this time two black eyes were watching with intense anxiety from the tree-top. Would the eggs fall out and be broken? would the nest be robbed? "One, two, three, four, five," counted the little boy slowly, while a poor palpitating heart counted each moment. How long those moments seemed! The little boy still held the bough in his grasp, the nest was on one side, he stretched out his eager little hand. The Blackbird scarcely breathed. The boy's fingers were over the nest; they nearly closed on one of the eggs. Then he suddenly drew back, "No, no, Alice," he said, "Mamma says I must never rob the poor birds. We won't rob our own Blackbird." Then the branch was slowly released and returned to its place, and the little fellow, who with no small amount of self-denial had conquered the intense desire to take the eggs, stood still gazing at the bush. Little Miss Alice now made signs that she wished to be lifted up to see into the nest, and with no small difficulty her sturdy young brother obliged her. "Look, Alice, pretty eggs; but we mustn't touch, and we mustn't tell any one." At that moment the front door of the old manor house again opened, and this time a voice called, "Master Willie, Miss Alice, wherever have you got to?" At hearing this sudden appeal, Willie dropped his little sister, both because her weight was rather more than he could well support, and because he was afraid that "Nanny" might find out what they were doing. However, as Alice fell on the grass she was not hurt. Willie quickly helped her up, and, as they ran towards the house, the Blackbird heard Willie say, "We won't tell any one about our nest, will we? It's a great secret." It was some time before the poor bird recovered from his terrible fright. His little heart beat very fast, and when his wife returned, and he told her all about the children's visit, it was with bated and often-interrupted breath.