His so-called 'scarecrows' are a great joke to them, and have been known at times to afford some fine materials for the lining of their nests.

But they find him so useful in many really important ways that they establish their colonies in his neighborhood whenever they possibly can." Here Uncle Andy made another long pause.

He looked at the Babe suspiciously.
"Is anything the matter ?" he demanded.
"No, thank you, Uncle Andy," replied the Babe politely.
"But you haven't asked a single question for at least seven minutes," said Uncle Andy.
"I was too busy listening to you," explained the Babe.

"But there's one I'd like to ask, if it's all the same to you." "Well, fire away," said his uncle.
"_Why_ did they all fly away like that, as if they had just remembered something awfully important?
And why would you rather be a little tiny humming-bird than a crow?
And why did it take the whole flock that way to teach the young ones to fly?
And--and why are they afraid, when they are _born_ to fly?
And why do they make fun of the stupid ones?
And why would you like to be a wild goose?
And, and--" "Stop! stop!" cried Uncle Andy.

"I didn't know you had a Gatling about you when I told you to fire away.