The boys spent an uncomfortable night in Father Thrift's cave.
Half the time they could not sleep. And, worse still, the other half
they dreamed such dreadful dreams!
But the next morning, after they had had breakfast with Father Thrift
and Shaggy Bear, the boys felt much better.
Still, they had a feeling that something terrible was about to happen
to them. How they longed to go home!
Then the queer little old man seated himself on a log just outside the
door of the cave.
"Shaggy Bear," he said, "go, tell Jenny Wren to ask all the birds of
the forest to come here."
Soon all the birds had come. And, oh! what excitement there was when
they saw the boys!
"Shoot them with an arrow! Hit them with a stone! Kill them!" the
angry little creatures cried.
Father Thrift lifted his hand for order.
When things were quiet, and the birds had gathered around him, the
queer little old man stood up. In a soft and somewhat sad voice he
said to the birds:
"My friends, let us act calmly and justly. Let us consider well before
we decide on the punishment which these boys should receive if they
are found guilty."
"But," protested Mr. Robin, "they climbed into our tree and stole our
eggs."
"They ruined my home," cried Cousin Bluebird, "and they wasted your
apples in doing it!"
"Yes, and they knocked down my nest and broke all the eggs in it,"
added Mr. Kingbird.
"They broke my leg with a stone from a sling shot," piped Brown
Thrasher.
"And they killed my poor husband," cried Mrs. Bobolink.
"They stole our four little children," sobbed the Meadow Larks.
"And they shot a bird with an arrow yesterday," added Shaggy Bear.
"Here is the bird. Here, too, are the bow and the arrow." And he
handed them all to Father Thrift.
"Why, they've shot my cousin, Blackbird!" cried the Crow, who had been
quiet up to now. "I have a good mind to bite off their noses and
scratch out their eyes."
"R-r-r-r-r-r! Charr! charr! charr!" All the birds became very much
excited. They screamed and fluttered their wings, and their eyes shone
with anger.
The boys were badly frightened. But Father Thrift quickly restored
order.
He said: "Let us first hear what the boys have to say. We will ask
them a few questions."
He faced the boys. "Did you do what the birds say you did?" he asked.
The boys hung their heads in shame.