His mate arose from the nest with a whirr--Freckles looked up and saw it.
"O--ho!" he cried.

"So THAT'S what you are doing here! You have a wife.

And so close my head I have been mighty near wearing a bird on my bonnet, and never knew it!" Freckles laughed at his own jest, while in better humor he climbed to examine the neat, tiny cradle and its contents.

The hen darted at him in a frenzy.

"Now, where do you come in ?" he demanded, when he saw that she was not similar to the goldfinch.
"You be clearing out of here! This is none of your fry.