With beak and claw and wing, therefore, he fought this new evil that had come presumedly to torment; and not until David had hit upon the expedient of taking off his blouse, and throwing it over the angry bird, could the boy get near enough to accomplish his purpose.

Even then David had to leave upon the slender leg a twist of leather.
A moment later, with a whir of wings and a frightened squawk that quickly turned into a surprised caw of triumphant rejoicing, the crow soared into the air and made straight for a distant tree-top.

David, after a minute's glad surveying of his work, donned his blouse again and resumed his walk.
It was almost six o'clock when David got back to the Holly farmhouse.
In the barn doorway sat Perry Larson.
"Well, sonny," the man greeted him cheerily, "did ye get yer weedin' done ?" "Y--yes," hesitated David.

"I got it done; but I didn't like it." "'T is kinder hot work." "Oh, I didn't mind that part," returned David.

"What I didn't like was pulling up all those pretty little plants and letting them die." "Weeds--'pretty little plants'!" ejaculated the man.