Cheer!" He whistled it tenderly and sharply and imperiously.
"Here! Here! Here!" At this ringing command, every bird, as far
as the river carried his voice, came to investigate and remained
to admire. Over and over he rang every change he could invent.
He made a gallant effort at warbling and trilling, and then, with
the gladdest heart he ever had known, he burst into ringing song:
"Good Cheer! Good Cheer! Good Cheer!"

As evening came on he grew restless and uneasy, so he slowly
winged his way back to the Limberlost; but that day forever
spoiled him for a swamp bird. In the night he restlessly ruffled
his feathers, and sniffed for the breeze of the meadows. He
tasted the corn and the clear water again. He admired his image
in the river, and longed for the sound of his voice, until he
began murmuring, "Wheat! Wheat! Wheat!" in his sleep. In the
earliest dawn a robin awoke him singing, "Cheer up! Cheer up!"
and he answered with a sleepy "Cheer! Cheer! Cheer!" Later the
robin sang again with exquisite softness and tenderness: "Cheer
up, Dearie! Cheer up, Dearie! Cheer up! Cheer up! Cheer!" The
Cardinal, now fully awakened, shouted lustily, "Good Cheer! Good
Cheer!" and after that it was only a short time until he was on
his way toward the shining river. It was better than before, and
every following day found him feasting in the corn field and
bathing in the shining water; but he always returned to his
family at nightfall.

When black frosts began to strip the Limberlost, and food was
almost reduced to dry seed, there came a day on which the king
marshalled his followers and gave the magic signal. With dusk he
led them southward, mile after mile, until their breath fell