Part 71 (2/2)

”Here's another bit,” said Don, finding a si it into the basket ”Couldn't we make some matches, Jem?”

”Couldn't we make some matches? Why, of course we could There's plenty of brie a tinder-box after a tiher and higher, till, co, they both paused in silent admiration of the view spread out before thelistened like silver, where glacier and snow lay unmelted in spite of the suo up there, Mas' Don?” said Je to climb up there, Jem What a view it must be”

”Ah, it must, Mas' Don; but on't try it to-day; and now, as we've been on the traood two hours, I vote we sit down and have a bit of a peck”

Don agreed, and they sat down at the edge of the wood to partake of the rather scanty fare which they spread on the ground between them

”Yes, it would be fine,” said Jeo up that mountain some day I've never been up a mountain

Hi! Wos!”

This was shouted at another of the peculiar-looking little birds which ran swiftly out of the undergrowth, gave each in turn a coood-sized piece of their provender and ran off

”Well, I call that sarce,” said Jem; ”that's what I calls that Ah, if I'd had a stone I'd soon have , ”do you call that an ostrich?”

”To be sure I do!” cried Jem ”That proves it I've read in a book as ostriches do steal and s anything--nails, pocket-knives, and bits o' stone Well! I never did!”

Je after another rail which had run up and seized a fruit fro awheel

”Sarce is nothing to it, Mas' Don Why, that little beggar's ten tipie we used to have in the yard They're so quick, too Now, just look at that”

Either the sarowth, peering about in thethe least alarm

”Just look at hi at him with all my eyes He's a beauty, he is Why, if I was a bird like that with such a shabby, dingy looking, sooty suit o' clothes, I knohat I'd do”

”What would you do?”

”Why, I'd ar Arn't he cos and no tail Hi! cocky, how did you get your beak bent that way? Look as if you'd had it caught in a gate

Have another?”

Jee raspberry-like fruit that he had picked some time before, and held it out to the bird, which stopped short, and held its head down co first at Jem, and then at the berry With a rapid twist it turned its head on the other side, and performed the same operation with the left eye

”Well, he is a ru ”Look! Mas' Don, look!”

Don atching the eccentric-looking little creature, which ran forward rapidly, and then paused