when the birds caught it up the whole flock laughed to see Toddlie's
golden hair figuring in a bird's-nest.

When the little thing was finished, it was so neat, and trim, and
workman-like, that the children all exulted over it, and called it
"our nest," and the two robins they called "our birds." But
wonderful was the joy when the little eyes, opening one morning, saw
in the nest a beautiful pale-green egg; and the joy grew from day to
day, for every day there came another egg, and so on till there were
five little eggs; and then the oldest girl, Alice, said, "There are
five eggs: that makes one for each of us, and each of us will have a
little bird by-and-by;"--at which all the children laughed and jumped
for glee.

When the five little eggs were all laid, the mother-bird began to sit
on them; and at any time of day or night, when a little head peeped
out of the nursery window, might be seen a round, bright, patient
pair of bird's eyes contentedly waiting for the young birds to come.
It seemed a long time for the children to wait; but every day they
put some bread and cake from their luncheon on the window-sill, so
that the birds might have something to eat; but still there she was,
patiently sitting!

"How long, long, long she waits!" said Jamie impatiently. "I don't
believe she's ever going to hatch."

"Oh, yes she is!" said grave little Alice. "Jamie, you don't
understand about these things; it takes a long, long time to hatch
eggs. Old Sam says his hens sit three weeks;--only think, almost a
month!"