ty did not remember at all, for she dwelt in a land that is
far-and-away farther off than China, a land:

"Where loyal hearts and true
Stand ever in the light,
All rapture through and through
In God's most holy sight."

"And, really and truly, Mrs. Barbara, was it the very same Mike and not
another raven that pecked at father's little legs same's he pecks at
mine?" Jinty inquired sleepily.

"The very self-same. Thief that he is and was!" wrathfully said Mrs.
Barbara, who detested the venerable raven, a bird that gave himself the
airs of being one of the family of Old Studley, and stirred up more
mischief than a dozen human boys even.

"Why," grumbled on the old lady, "there's poor Sally Bent, the henwife,
she's driven distracted with Mike's thievish tricks. This week only he
stole seven eggs, three on 'em turkey's eggs no less. He set himself on
the watch, he did, and as soon as an egg was laid he nipped it up warm,
and away with it! If 'twasn't for master's anger I'd strangle that evil
bird, I should. Why, bless her! The little maid's asleep, she is!"

And Mrs. Barbara crept away to see after her other helpless charge, the
good old professor who lived so far back in the musty-fusty past that he
would never remember to feed his body, so busy was he in feasting his
mind on the dead languages.

Next morning the tearing winds had departed, the stately elms were
motionless at rest, and the sun beat down with a fierce radiance, upon
the red brick walls of Old Studley.

Jinty Ransom leaned out of her latticed window and smiled contentedly
back at the genial sun.

"Ah, thou maid, come down and count over the crocus flowers!" called up
Mrs. Barbara from the green lawn below. "I fear me that thief Mike has
nipped off the heads of a few dozens, out o' pure wicked mischief."

Presently Jinty was flashing like a sunbeam in and out of the old house.

"I must go round and scold Mike, then I'll come, back for breakfast,
Mrs. Barbara. Grandpapa's not down yet."

[Sidenote: Mike on the War-path]

But scolding's a game two can play at. Mike charged at Jinty with a
volley of angry chatter and fierce flappings of his heavy black wings.
It was no good trying to get in a word about the headless crocus plants
or the seven stolen eggs.

"Anybody would think that I was the thief who stole them, not you!"
indignantly said Jinty. Then Mike craned suddenly forward to give the
straight