yet, on the very day that happiness seemed at fullest measure,
there was trouble in the sumac. He had overstayed his time,
chasing a fat moth he particularly wanted for his mate, and she,
growing thirsty past endurance, left the nest and went to the
river. Seeing her there, he made all possible haste to take his
turn at brooding, so he arrived just in time to see a pilfering
red squirrel starting away with an egg.

With a vicious scream the Cardinal struck him full force. His
rush of rage cost the squirrel an eye; but it lost the father a
birdling, for the squirrel dropped the egg outside the nest. The
Cardinal mournfully carried away the tell-tale bits of shell, so
that any one seeing them would not look up and discover his
treasures. That left three eggs; and the brooding bird mourned
over the lost one so pitifully that the Cardinal perched close to
the nest the remainder of the day, and whispered over and over
for her comfort that she was "So dear! So dear!"



Chapter 5

"See here! See here!" demanded the Cardinal


The mandate repeatedly rang from the topmost twig of the thorn
tree, and yet the Cardinal was not in earnest. He was beside
himself with a new and delightful excitement, and he found it
impossible to refrain from giving vent to his feelings. He was
commanding the farmer and every furred and feathered denizen of