Part 6 (1/2)

Soon there were birds singing everywhere--robins in the apple orchard, an oriole in the elm tree, swallows flas.h.i.+ng through the farmyard, bluebirds and yellowbirds on every side. Bobolinks skimming over the clover field, joined the chorus.

Then on a low limb of the crab-apple tree, a meadow lark began to sing.

Bobby tried to find him, but could not see him among the branches. Such a wonderful song he had never heard.

The Eastern sky was getting more rosy and more golden.

”It must be the sunrise that makes him so happy,” thought Bobby. ”I wish I could sing like that.”

So there Bobby stood, golden sunrise in the East, singing birds around him.

Meanwhile, Red Top was quietly making his way to the house. As far as the wood-pile he came, and Bobby did not drive him back. As far as the pump he came.

”I'll soon be there,” he thought.

A rooster in the next barn-yard crowed. Then Bobby remembered.

He ran toward the house. There was Red Top on the little mound.

”Oh, I must stop him before he crows,” thought Bobby. He shouted, ”Shoo, shoo!”

Just then a loud c.o.c.k-a-doodle-doo rang out on the morning air.

”I beat you, Bobby,” it seemed to say.

Father looked out of his window and said, ”Red Top was smarter than you, wasn't he?”

”I am sorry I let him wake you,” said Bobby.

John put his head out of his window and called, ”You have lost the dime, Bobby.”

”I don't care,” said Bobby. ”I heard the birds and saw the sunrise.”

Then he chased Red Top down to the Old Red Barn, so Father could finish his morning nap.

[Ill.u.s.tration: HAYING TIME]

VII

One of the many pretty sights on the farm in early June, was the clover field, all covered with red blossoms.

It was an interesting place, too.

Bobby and Rover loved to romp in it. The honey bees came to it to get honey. The bobolinks, like flashes of black and white, skimmed over it as they sang. The ground-birds had their nests in it.

Bobby knew of three nests there.

But the time had come for cutting the clover.