well," replied his father, quietly, "you had been doing some
mischief with them, I suppose."

"No," said Hilbert, "I had not been doing any thing at all."

"Then you were _going_ to do some mischief with them, I suppose," said
his father.

"No," said Hilbert, "I was only going to shoot a little bird."

"A little bird!" repeated his father, surprised. "What little bird?"

"Why, a little bird that came on board from Nova Scotia, they said,"
replied Hilbert. "He came to rest."

"And you were going to shoot him?" said his father, in a tone of
surprise. Then, after pausing a moment, he added, "Here, come with me."

So saying, Hilbert's father turned and walked down the cabin stairs
again. He led the way to his state room, which, as it happened, was on
the opposite side of the cabin from that which Jennie occupied. When he
reached the door of the state room, he opened it, and standing on one
side, he pointed the way to Hilbert, saying, sternly,--

"Go in there!"

Hilbert went in.

"You will stay there, now," said his father "as long as that bird sees
fit to remain on board. It won't do, I see, for you both to be on deck
together."

So saying, Hilbert's father shut the state room door, and locked it; and
then, putting the key in his pocket, went away.

The bird was now safe, his two enemies--the only enemies he had on board
the steamer--being shut up in their respective state rooms, as
prisoners, one on one side of the cabin, and the other on the other. He
did not, however, rest any the more quietly on this account; for he had
not at any time been conscious of the danger that he had been in, either
from the kitten or the boy. He went on reposing quietly at the
resting-place which he had chosen on the coil of rigging, until at last,
when his little wings had become somewhat reinvigorated, he came down
from it, and went hopping about the deck. Jennie and Maria then went
down below and got some bread for him. This they scattered in crums
before him, and he came and ate it with great satisfaction. In about two
hours he began to fly about a little; and finally he perched upon the
bulwarks, and looked all over the sea. Perceiving that he was now strong
enough to undertake the passage home to his mate, he flew off, and
ascending high into the air, until he obtained sight of the coast, he
then set forth with great speed in that direction.

It was several hundred miles to the shore, and he had to rest two or
three times