On the following Saturday afternoon the children went to see their
cousins.

As soon as they arrived, Tom said to Jack, "I saw Charley Foster
yesterday, and told him we would go to see him this afternoon. I asked
him that, if he had any birds' eggs to spare, would he give them to you,
that you might take them back with you to London. He said he should be
most happy to do so; and that we had better stop till after tea, and go
home in the cool of the evening. So," continued Tom, "as soon as you're
ready we'll be off."

"I'm ready now," said Jack; so the boys started for Charley Foster's
house, which was about half a mile off, along the upper edge of the
wood, so the walk was a pleasant one.

Presently they saw two men come out of the wood with large,
square-looking packages, covered over with black linen.

"What are those men doing?" asked Jack; "and what have they got in those
packages?"

"They are bird-catchers, and those are the traps and cages for the
birds. It's a downright shame to keep a thing with wings in a cage. I
can't see what pleasure it can be to listen to their song when they are
shut up like that. I like plenty of room myself, and so do birds," said
Tom.

"What birds have those men been catching?"