"Where is Father Mit-chee?" asked the little boy of the Mother
Partridge, one day.
"I don't know," she answered; "I haven't seen him since I began to sit."
"Well," said the little boy, "I think he's a mean, lazy scamp, to go off
and leave you to take care of the family alone."
"Well," said Mother Mit-chee, "it would be rather nice to have some
help. I feel a bit lonesome sometimes, especially when I notice how kind
Father O-loo-la is to his wife and family. But it isn't the custom in
our family. The fathers leave the mothers to take care of the family.
They never come near us until their children are able to take care of
themselves. I've taught these youngsters of mine what to eat and where
to find it. They have learned to fly pretty well, and taken some lessons
in whirring, so that they can frighten their enemies. I wouldn't be
surprised to see Father Mit-chee any day. Why, there he is now! I can
tell his drumming any time."
The little boy listened. Far off in the distance he heard
thump!--thump!--thump!--thump!--thr-r-r-r-r-r!
"Let's go and meet him," said Mother Mit-chee. "He doesn't know you, so
I'll go ahead. Then he won't be frightened."
So they went through the woods, Mother Mit-chee in the lead, till they
came in sight of the Father Partridge. He was standing on a fallen log
and drumming. Just how he did it the little boy could not tell. He
flapped his wings like a rooster, and seemed to beat the log or his own
sides. As the little boy watched him, he thought that perhaps the sound
was made by Father Mit-chee's wings striking together over his back.
When he saw Mother Mit-chee coming, he walked up and down the log very
proudly. Then he stopped and drummed louder than ever.
"Well," said Mother Mit-chee, "so you've come back at last, have you?
Here are your children. Don't they look as if I had taken good care of
them?"
"Why, yes," replied Father Mit-chee, "they're looking pretty well. I've
heard of you several times, and knew that you were getting along all
right. But who's that over yonder?" he asked, as he caught sight of
Little Luke.
"Oh," answered Mother Mit-chee, "you've heard of him before. He's the
boy who found the Magic Flower, and learned the animal talk."
That was the way little Luke came to know Father Mit-chee.