w the
watch the moment it fell; and to use your expression, Mr. Templeton, she
jumped at it like a dolphin at a silver spoon."

The landlord laughed. "But the mystery is," said he, "how she got back
to the house without being seen. She must have been pretty spry."

"O Mag, Mag, to think I never once thought to look after you!"
exclaimed Mrs. McQuilken, penitently.

The bird was scolding all the while, and running about with short, jerky
movements, trying her best to get out of the room; but the door was
closed.

"Pretty thing," said Edith. "What a shame she should be a thief!"

"She is pretty, now isn't she?" returned her mistress, fondly. "My
husband brought her from China. You don't often see a Chinese magpie,
with blue plumage,--cobalt blue."

"She's a perfect oddity," said Mrs. Hale. "See those two centre
tail-feathers, so very long, barred with black and tipped with white."

"Yes," said Mr. Dunlee, "and the red bill and red legs. She's a
brilliant creature, Mrs. McQuilken."

"Well, you'll try to forgive her, won't you, sir? I mean to bring her
up as well as I know how; but what are you going to do with a girl that
can't sense the ten commandments?"

"What indeed!" laughed Mr. Dunlee.

"You see she's naturally light-fingered. Yes, you are, Mag, you needn't
deny it. Those red claws of yours are just pickers and stealers."

Here Edith called attention to Mag's nest on the wall, and they all
admired it; and Mrs. McQuilken said the canary liked to have Mag near
him at night, he was apt to be lonesome.

"I wish you'd come in the daytime," said she. "Come any and all of you,
and hear him sing. He does sing so sweetly, poor blind thing; it's as
good as a sermon to hear him."

On leaving Mrs. McQuilken the children went to Aunt Vi's room and Jimmy
kept repeating joyously:--

"We've found the watch, we've found the watch!"

"Yes," said Aunt Vi; "but what a wreck it is! Your papa will have to
spend a deal of money in repairing it."

"Too bad!" said Lucy, "I 'spect 'twould cost him cheaper to buy a new
one."

"'Twouldn't cost him so much; that's what you mean," corrected Jimmy.
"But I'm going to pay for mending it anyway."

"How can you?" asked Kyzie. "All you have is just your tin box with
silver in it."

"Well, but don't I keep having presents? And can't I ask folks to stop
giving me toys and books and give me money? And they'll do it every
time."

"But that would be begging."

Jimmy's face fell.