Evening star., 1916-01-15

mo NEED TO WORRY ABOUT ME
ARE ASLEEP" REPLIED BOB
WHITE.
cannot understand why some of them
don't like it when he is interested in
their affairs.
Ever since Mr.. and Mrs. Bob White
had succeeded in SO completely fooling
Peter about their nest in the spring he
had taken the liveliest interest in them
and their family. He had learned a
lot about their ways and he always
thought of them as among his very
that they live on the ground and only
fly when they are frightened or want
to get from one place to another. He
knew that every night they sleep on
the ground huddled close together to
keep each other warm. And he knew
that they find their food on the ground.
and that in the winter when the insects
are not to be found this food is the
seed of weeds.
With the coming of the first snow
Bob Whites. He saw them go to bed
one night and then a little bit later the
snow began to fall. All night long it
fell. and when morning came it lay
white and deep everywhere. Peter
thought of the Bob Whites and his
heart sank.
Il am afraid that we shall never see
them again." he conflded. sorrowfully,
to little Mrs. Peter. They were asleep
when 1t began to snow, and now they
see if there are any signs of them.'
So Peter hurried over to the place
where he knew the Bob Whites had
gone to bed the night before, and his
heart was heavy. The snow lay white
and smooth and beautiful over the
nj he hod
to bed.
TOO bad" said Peter to himself.
"It certainly is too bad. IL feel
dreadfully;. Bob White was the most
cheerful fellow 1 ever knew. The
Green Meadows won't seem the same
without him" A tear stole out of the
corner of each of Peters eyes. "I sup
pose Bob and all his family are frozen
to death down underneath me some
where. What a pity that anything SO
beautiful as the snow can be so cruel
There's jolly, round, bright Mr.. Sun
looking down and smiling quite as il
nothing dreadful had happened. But,
then, of course. he doesn't know. be-
cause he had gone to bed behind the
Purple Hills before the snow fell.
wonder" Peter paused and his
eyes lighted up with hope born of an
idea that had just popped into his head
'T wonder if 1 dig down here will find
them still alive. I believe I'll try II. :"
to dig. But hardly had he begun to
make the snow fly when out of the
white surface all around him burst lit
tie brown forms that shot into the air,
making the snow fly in a cloud that
quite covered Peter. 1t was all so sud-
den and unexpected that he squealed
and took to his heels. When at last he
dared to stop to look back there were
all the Bob Whites running about on
top of the snow and busily picking
seeds from the tops of the old dead
weeds sticking above the surface of the
snow.
Hello. Peterw called Bob White
cheerily. You gave US quite a scare
We didn't know it was you digging and
were afraid it was Reddy or Granny
Fox. Sorry to have startled YOU so
but I guess it was sort Of tit for tat
You frightened us and we scared you
SO that makes US even. Fine snow,
isn't it? Haven't had such a comfort
able night for long time. What's the
matter? You look as if you had seen
a ghost"
Il thought I had for a minute"
replied Peter. Il was worrying about
you"
mo need to worry about me unless a
crust forms while we are asleep" re-
piled Bob White. I'VE like a snow
like this. No chance that Reddy Fox
will find us then. My. but I'm hungry.
Guess we'll go up to Farmer Browns
and see if his boy has remembered to
put out some food for U.S." And with a
whirr of stout wings Bob led his flock
over toward Farmer Browns house