half-way when the coachman, who was waiting at the door with the little grey
mare and the phaeton, motioned to her to come quietly. Tattine saw at a glance
what had happened, and sped swiftly back to Patrick. "Keep Black-and-white up
the tree," she said, in a breathless whisper; "don't let her go near the nest,
and don't let her come down for the world. The little Phoebe-birds have lit."

"All right, miss," not at all understanding the situation, but more than
willing to obey orders. Tattine was in such haste to get back to the house
that she hardly heard his answer. What she had tried to tell him was that the
five little fledglings, crowded into the tiny nest under the eaves of the
porch, had taken it into their heads to try their first flight at that precise
moment, and there they were perched on the shafts of the phaeton, lighting, as
it seemed, on the first thing they came to, while the father and mother birds
were flying about in frantic anxiety to see them in such a perilous situation.
How could those tiny little untrained claws keep their hold on that big round,
slippery shaft, and if the carriage started down they would surely go under
the wheels or under the feet of that merciless little grey mare. But the
little fledglings were in better hands than they knew, for, with the
exceptions of Betsy, Doctor, and Black-and-white, every living thing at
Oakdene was kind to every other living thing.

"Whoa, girlie; whoa, girlie," had been Patrick's quieting words to Lizzie, and
then when Tattine came hurrying that way he had motioned her to come quietly
for fear of frightening them. Then, as you know, Tattine flew to make sure
that treacherous Black- and-white was kept close guarded, and then back she
fl‡w again to the aid of the little birds themselves. Softly she drew nearer
and nearer, saying over gently, "Whoa, Lizzie! dear little birdies!" until she
came very near and then she put out one hand towards them. That was enough for
the fledglings. Refreshed by their rest on the shafts, they flapped their
tiny wings and fluttered up to the anxious mother bird on the branches above