"Do come here, mother," said Eddie, carefully tip-toeing from the
window, and beckoning with his hand. "Here is something I want to show
you. Come carefully, or I am afraid you will frighten it."

Mrs. Dudley laid aside her book, and stepped cautiously forward, Eddie
leading the way back to the window. "What is it?" she inquired.

"It is a bird with straw in its mouth, and I do believe it is going to
build a nest."

Mrs. Dudley stood by her little boy a few minutes, looking from the
window. Presently a robin alighted on the walnut tree, directly before
them, with a bunch of dry grass in its mouth. It rested a few seconds,
and then flew in among the branches of a honeysuckle which twined
around the pillars, and crept over the top of the porch. A fine, warm
place it was for a nest, sheltered from the north winds, and from the
driving rains, and from the hot rays of the noon-day sun.

Eddie and his mother watched the bird for some time. It would bring
straws, and arrange them in its nest, as only a bird can; and then it
would away again, and come back, perhaps, with its bill covered and
filled with mud, which it used for mortar in fastening the materials
in their places. Then it would get in the nest, and, moving its feet
and wings, would make it just the right shape to hold the pretty eggs
she would lay in it, and the little robins she would love so well, and
feed so carefully.

The robin was industrious, and worked hard to get the house finished
in season. I think she must have been very tired when night came, and