grown up.

Billy, however, was of a very different opinion; for he insisted on it,
that it would be better to pluck off their feathers, and then set them
down in the middle of the room, as it would be very funny to see how
they would hop about without feathers. The elder sister was of the same
way of thinking as the younger; but Billy was determined to have the
matter entirely his own way.

The two little ladies, finding they were not likely to have things as
they wished, gave up the point without much hesitation; for Billy had
already begun to strip the poor helpless birds. As fast as he plucked
them, he put them down on the floor, and it was not long before the
little birds were stripped of all their tender feathers. The poor things
cried _Weet!_ _Weet!_ and complained in the most piteous accents; they
shook their little wings, and shuddered with cold.

Billy, however, who had not the least kind of feeling for their
sufferings, carried his persecutions still further, pushing them with
his toe, to make them go on when they stopped, and laughing most
heartily whenever they staggered or tumbled down through weakness.
Though his two sisters at first setting off had pleaded against this
cruel kind of sport, yet, seeing their brother so merry on the occasion,
they forgot their former dictates of humanity, and joined in the cruel
sport with him. Such, as we saw in the preceding tale, is the influence
of bad example!

In the midst of this cruel kind of enjoyment, at a distance they saw
their tutor approaching. This put them into some flurry, and each
pocketed a bird. They would have avoided their tutor, but he called to
them, and asked their reason for wishing to shun him. They approached
him very slowly, with their eyes cast downwards, which convinced him
that something amiss was going forwards.

On their answering, that they were only playing, their tutor observed to
them, that they very well knew he never denied them innocent amusement,
but, on the contrary, was always glad to see them cheerful and happy. He
took notice that each held one of their hands in their pocket, upon
which he insisted on their pulling them out, and letting him see what it
was they endeavoured to conceal.

They were obliged to comply, much against their will, when each
produced a poor bird, that had been stripped of its feathers. The tutor
was filled with pity and indignation, and gave each of them a look, that
was more dreadful than any word