While they feasted, Duncan gripped his wife's arm and stared in astonishment; for from the bushes and dry grass, with gentle cheeping and queer, throaty chatter, as if to encourage each other, came flocks of quail.

Before anyone saw it arrive, a big gray rabbit sat in the midst of the feast, contentedly gnawing a cabbage-leaf.
"Weel, I be drawed on!" came Mrs.Duncan's tense whisper.
"Shu-shu," cautioned Duncan.
Lastly Freckles removed his cap.

He began filling it with handfuls of wheat from his pockets.

In a swarm the grain-eaters arose around him as a flock of tame pigeons.

They perched on his arms and the cap, and in the stress of hunger, forgetting all caution, a brilliant cock cardinal and an equally gaudy jay fought for a perching-place on his head.
"Weel, I'm beat," muttered Duncan, forgetting the silence imposed on his wife.