Then again mamma came forward, and remonstrated and protested, but only
by her one argument, a squawk.

I quietly sat down and tried to make myself as much a part of the bank
as possible, for I wanted the distracted dame in blue to go on with her
household duties, and feed those babies. After a while she did calm down
a little, though she kept one distrustful eye on me, and now and then
came near and delivered a squawk at me, as if to assure me that she saw
through my manoeuvres, and despised them.

But I cared not at that moment for her opinion of me; she did not move
my sympathies as do many birds, for she appeared insulted and angry, not
in the least afraid. I wanted to see her feed, and at last I
did--_almost_; she was to the last too sharp for me.

She came with a mouthful of food. Each one of the three rose on his
sturdy little legs, fluttered his wings, opened his beak and cried. It
was a sort of whispered squawk, which shows that the bluejay is a wary
bird even in the cradle. When they were all roused and eager, the mother
used that morsel as a bait to coax them through the tree again. She did
not give it to either of her petitioners, but she moved slowly from
branch to branch, holding it before them, and as one bird they followed,
led by their appetite, like bigger folk,--

"Three souls with but a single thought,
Three hearts that beat as one!"

and as I had no desire to see them die of starvation, and leave the
world so much poorer in beauty, I came away and left them to their
repast.

That was not the end of the bluejay episode. A few days later a young
bird, perhaps one of this very trio, set out by himself in search of
adventures. Into the wide-open door of the barn he flew, probably to see
for what the swallows were flying out and in. Alas for that curious
young bird! He was noticed by the farmer's boy, chased into a corner,
still out of breath from his first flight, then caught, thrust into an
old canary cage, brought to the house, and given to the bird-student.

Poor little creature! he was dumb with fright, though he was not
motionless. He beat himself against the wires and thrust his beak
through the openings, in vain efforts to escape. We looked at him with
great interest, but we had not the heart to keep him very long. In a few
minutes he was taken out of the cage in a hand (which he tried to bite),
carried to the door and set free.

Away like a flash went the little boy blue and alighte