Baby Pitchers Trials | Page 9

as chief mourners, while Amy and Charley
walked in single file to make the procession as long as possible. They
marched round and round the grounds as long as Flora wished, and
then Bertie dug a deep hole in the middle of Amy's garden, and buried
the robin.

CHAPTER V.
BERTIE MEETS JACK MIDNIGHT AT THE SPRING.
Flora enjoyed the funeral very much. She had never had a dead bird to
bury before, and she thought it a very nice thing; so nice in fact, that
she meant to come back some day and have it over again. So she
marked the spot with a stick, that she might know where to find the
bird when she wanted it for another funeral. That it was hid from her
sight forever she had not the least idea, or that she could not re-bury it
whenever she choose. So she planted the stick, and went away with a
happy heart.
When she knew that the birdy could be buried only once, and that she
was not to disturb the spot, she mourned her loss afresh. But Amy told
her she would plant a daisy on the little mound, and it should be her
own, and she should think of her bird whenever the flowers bloomed.
And Charley promised to buy a bright yellow canary, if he could ever
save money enough, and it should be "a regular screamer." She wanted
Bertie to make the cage at once, but Bertie thought he could not make a
cage good enough for a canary. He would have a beauty on hand,
however, by the time Charley got ready to purchase the bird. This was
meant as a sly hit at Charley who never had any money. He fully
intended to buy the bird, but canaries cost money, and Charley's
pockets were always empty, so far as money was concerned.
Flora had little faith in Charley's promises. Bertie had a new idea in his
head. He wanted to prepare a trap for a musk-rat. That was why he
could not attend to making the cage. If he succeeded in catching
one--and he thought he should, for the spring was full of them--Flora
was to have all the perfumery she wanted. So she was comforted, and
in time--a very short time--forgot all about the robin. Bertie set his trap,
and waited. Nobody believed in the musk-rat but Flora. She had faith in
the success of all Bertie's undertakings. Everybody else laughed at him
for his pains. Charley said he was a "goney," whatever that may be, and
Amy advised him to turn his attention to something sensible. He
travelled down to the spring every morning before breakfast, and with

quickly beating heart examined the trap. There was nothing in it, but
there were tracks all around. He resolved to follow up those tracks, and
see what would come of them. It was a long walk to the spring, and a
lonely walk. Other traps were set thereabouts, but their owners lived
near by, or came from the upper road. Of course he never asked for
Charley's company. Charley had no faith, and he ridiculed the idea of
going so often on a wild-goose chase. But Bertie reasoned within
himself,--other fellows caught musk-rats, why should not he? His traps
were as good as theirs, his bait the same. To be sure he never had
caught one, but that was no reason he never should. There must be a
first time for every thing. And when he did trap one, wouldn't Charley
change his tune? The spring was alive with musk-rats. One should find
the way into his trap. He hoped it would be a "buster." He was on the
road to the spring, when these thoughts passed through his mind. There
had been a white frost, and the air was keen. He thrust his hands into
his pockets, and ran along, whistling cheerfully. His spirits were light,
and his hopes high. He half expected to find a musk-rat in his trap. He
had made the path to it so easy and inviting, surely something must
have found the way thither. Not a musk-rat, perhaps, but something.
When he got there, he was surprised to find a boy examining his trap. It
was not an agreeable surprise, for the boy was Jack Midnight; the very
last person in the world with whom he desired to have any dealings. It
was the same Jack who dishonestly made way with Charley's calico
rooster. Bertie was angry. Without stopping to inquire into the
circumstances, as he would have done if it had been any other boy, he
at once jumped to a wrong conclusion. He thought that Jack was
plotting mischief, and without waiting for his hot blood to cool, he
called, quickly,
"Come