They must either be killed at once or carried back to the place you took them from, that the old birds may continue to feed them.' 'But you don't know where that is, Madam: it's only me and uncle Robson that knows that.' 'But if you don't tell me, I shall kill them myself--much as I hate it.' 'You daren't.

You daren't touch them for your life! because you know papa and mamma, and uncle Robson, would be angry.

Ha, ha! I've caught you there, Miss!' 'I shall do what I think right in a case of this sort without consulting any one.

If your papa and mamma don't happen to approve of it, I shall be sorry to offend them; but your uncle Robson's opinions, of course, are nothing to me.' So saying--urged by a sense of duty--at the risk of both making myself sick and incurring the wrath of my employers--I got a large flat stone, that had been reared up for a mouse-trap by the gardener; then, having once more vainly endeavoured to persuade the little tyrant to let the birds be carried back, I asked what he intended to do with them.

With fiendish glee he commenced a list of torments; and while he was busied in the relation, I dropped the stone upon his intended victims and crushed them flat beneath it.