the very odd attitude he had taken, so
he crept noiselessly on, his head turned somewhat sideways to Reuben,
and his hand held up threateningly to the child, for he saw he had been
recognised, and he was afraid of some hasty word, which would cause
Marten to start up, and then he feared he should not surprise his
friend. Edward was able to get quite close to Marten, and even to touch
him before Marten was aware of his presence; and he stepped up so
quietly, that the doves were so little frightened, that they hardly
stopped a moment from picking up the crumbs.

"Why Marten, old fellow, what are you doing here?" asked Edward. "Whose
doves are those, I say? are they your mother's? have you let them
loose--Eh?" Edward spoke softly, but not so softly that he did not cause
Marten to start at the unexpected sound of his voice; still, as the
birds were at some little distance, and were accustomed to the human
voice, they scarcely were alarmed, and hardly moved a step or two away
from the crumbs scattered for them, and Marten recovering himself
quickly, said--"Oh! Edward, do help me to catch these doves: they have
escaped from their aviary, and my mother will be so vexed if they fly
away."

"To be sure I will," replied Edward; "but my boy, who is in the habit
of feeding them, for that person would best know how to catch them I
should say."

"My mother feeds them herself chiefly," said Marten, "and Reuben
sometimes attends to them when she is engaged."

"Well, set Reuben to decoy them now, for I am in a hurry and have got
something to say to you as quickly as possible, and it is very
important. Anyhow, the child can watch them whilst you are attending to
me."

So Reuben was called from his station at the tree, and Marten gave him
directions what he was to do; and the now little important one lay down
on the grass, as Marten had done before him; and as might have been
expected, the doves, accustomed to his baby voice and small figure, soon
drew nearer and nearer to him, so that when the conference was over
between the two elder boys, Reuben was able proudly to shew not one,
but both doves, so wrapped up in his pinafore, that though they
fluttered about a little, they were quite secure. "Come here a step or
two from the child," said Edward, "and don't think of those troublesome
birds just now, but tell me at once, can you come and pay me a visit for
a couple of days? my cousins William Roscoe and Jane and Mary are
expected