"But she will not whilst we are here," William replied.

"Touch it again, William," said Frances.

William touched the edge of the nest "See!" said he, "they think the
mother is come, they stretch, their months still wider."

"Hark!" said Mary, "what an impatient noise they make: they look
ready to stretch themselves out of their nest, and as if their little
mouths would tear."

"Poor little things! do not disappoint them, give them something,"
said Anne.

"We have not proper food for them," said William.

"I will run and fetch some crumbs," said Mary.

Mary soon returned with a piece of bread, and giving it to her
brother as the most experienced, he broke it into extremely small
crumbs, and, again touching the nest, awakened the expectation of the
young birds: they opened their mouths wide, and as he dropped a small
crumb into each, they moved their tongues, trying to make it pass
down into their throat. "Poor little things, they cannot swallow
well, they want the mother to put it gently down their throat with
her beak."

"See! see!" said all the girls, "they want more, give them more."

William dropped his crumbs again.