Almost the next moment a wonderful thing happened.
She heard a soft little rushing flight
through the air -- and it was the bird with the red
breast flying to them, and he actually alighted on
the big clod of earth quite near to the gardener's
foot.

"Here he is," chuckled the old man, and then
he spoke to the bird as if he were speaking to a
child.

"Where has tha' been, tha' cheeky little beggar?"
he said. "I've not seen thee before today.
Has tha' begun tha' courtin' this early in
th' season? Tha'rt too forrad."

The bird put his tiny head on one side and
looked up at him with his soft bright eye which
was like a black dewdrop. He seemed quite familiar
and not the least afraid. He hopped about
and pecked the earth briskly, looking for seeds and
insects. It actually gave Mary a queer feeling in
her heart, because he was so pretty and cheerful
and seemed so like a person. He had a tiny
plump body and a delicate beak, and slender delicate
legs.

"Will he always come when you call him?"
she asked almost in a whisper.

"Aye, that he will. I've knowed him ever
since he was a fledgling. He come out of th' nest
in th' other garden an' when first he flew over th'

[[48]]

p047 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p048w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p049

v?