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We want to settle one thing, and that'll come when we hit the place where this party got up on his feet to move off." So saying, Paul himself got down and deliberately crawled under the canvas the same way the trespasser had. Jack and Bobolink hastened to follow his example, only too well pleased to be selected to accompany the leader.
Now it appeared that in tramping about the deep grass, where we bird-students dared not set our feet, he had nearly stepped on a bobolink, who flew, and thus pointed out her nest; and he had taken its bearings with the intention of putting us to shame. We looked long at the tiny trio so compactly packed in their cradle, till they awoke and demanded supplies.
A bobolink sailed over my face, not three feet from it, singing his merriest, and then dropped into the grass behind me. Oh, never did I so much wish for eyes in the back of my head! He must be almost within touch, yet I dared not move; doubtless I was under inspection by that keen dark eye, for the first movement sent him away with a whir.
Of course," he added politely, "I don't suppose you can help it exactly, because even the sun is purple here, and perhaps you have got sunpurpled instead of sunburned." "May I ask," said Bobolink, rolling his purple eyes about, "if you came all this way on purpose to make remarks about me?" "No, I did n't," explained Martin, hurriedly.
"Look good to me," he was heard to say; "I'd pass 'em any time for genuine. But what silly chump'd be throwing good money around like that, tell me?" "Or bad money either, Bobolink," remarked Paul; "so you see, it was an accident in any case. You've lost money many a time out of your pocket; well, this man was in the same boat. Chances are, that's straight goods." Bobolink grinned.
Bobolink demanded again, feeling irritated somehow. "Panther! Well, I guess he hasn't got that wild, yet!" ejaculated Nuthin. Paul began to understand something about it. "See here, Nuthin," he said, sternly; "you know that was a dog, as well as I do; have you ever seen him before? Do you know him?" Nuthin laughed softly.
The Hermit pondered over that speech. "There's only one thing for you to do," he said at last. "You must select only mournful songs.... You know you sing them in slow time." "Pardon me!" Bobby Bobolink said, for he was determined to be just as polite as the Hermit. "I never sing mournful songs. So you see you are mistaken."
"Well, that was quick work now, wasn't it?" grumbled Bobolink; "reckon I won't ever have a chance to see what was inside those boxes. Say, see here, d'ye happen to know where Ezra hauled 'em? Not to the railroad, I should think, because they only came that way yesterday." But Jack shook his head.
The bobolink has become careworn and fretful, and blurts out snatches of his song between his scolding and upbraiding, as you approach the vicinity of his nest, oscillating between anxiety for his brood and solicitude for his musical reputation.
Besides, I happen to know that there was a Bald Eagle from Aldine watching us work yesterday. He had a field glass, and was hidden where he could see all that went on." It was Jud Elderkin who made this astonishing declaration; and what he said created quite a stir among the assembled scouts. "All right. We didn't go there expecting to steal any of their thunder, fellows," said Bobolink.
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