You see that little dark bag nearly as big as your fist, swinging out there on that limb?
Well, every spring one of these birds, yellow as orange peel, with velvet black wings, weaves a nest like that, and over on that big branch, high up, one just as bright red as the other is yellow, and the same black wings, builds a cradle for his babies.

Father says a red bird and a yellow one keeping house in the same tree is the biggest thing that ever happened in our family.

They come every year and that is their tree.

I believe father would shoot any one who drove them away." "Your father is a gunner also ?" he asked, and I thought he was laughing to himself.
"He's enough of a gunner to bring mother in a wagon from Pennsylvania all the way here, and he kept wolves, bears, Indians, and Gypsies from her, and shot things for food.

Yes sir, my father can shoot if he wants to, better than any of our family except Laddie." "And does Laddie shoot well ?" "Laddie does everything well," I answered proudly.