"Haw-haw! Hoo! hoo!"
Phyllis listened again.
"Haw-haw! Hoo! hoo! Hoo! Hoo!"
"Oh, I see you now!" laughed Phyllis.
The owl moved silently as a shadow and perched very near to the little
girl. His great round eyes and his yellow bill gleamed in the
starlight.
"I heard you calling!" said Phyllis. "But I could not at first tell
just where you were. I looked in a dozen trees before I came to you."
"To-who? To-who-whoo-oo-oo?" questioned the owl.
Phyllis laughed again. The owl blinked wisely.
"I am going home to-morrow," Phyllis said. "I shall start to school
next week. Some day, perhaps, I shall be as wise as you, Mr. Owl."
The owl only blinked his great eyes.
[Illustration: "The owl only blinked his great eyes"]
"But I'm sure I can never look so wise," she added, politely.
"Hoo-hoo-hoo-oo!" hooted the owl, blinking sleepily.
"If you will not talk with me I shall say good-night to you at once!"
said Phyllis.
"To-who? To-who-ooo-oo-oo?"
"To-you! To-you-oo-oo-oo!" called Phyllis, running off laughing.
"Papa," she said, a few moments later. "Papa, the hoot-owl would not
talk with me!"
"Wise, wise owl!" said papa, smiling at her over his newspaper.