"
"These are the trees," said Jack, as they debouched upon the road,
"that I stuck my proclamations upon. We had very little to think of in
those days."
As the party drew near Falcon's Nest, the dogs approached and welcomed
them with the usual canine demonstrations of joy.
"I have half a mind to carry off Toby," said Fritz; "but I fear Mary
would miss him."
Externally all appeared tranquil at Falcon's Nest; this satisfied the
young men that their mother had succeeded in reaching home, at least,
in safety; a light streaming through the window of Becker's dwelling,
however, showed that the family had not yet retired for the night.
"If they only knew we were so near them!" remarked Jack.
The entire party then sat down upon a rustic bench, shrouded with
flowering orchis and Spanish jasmine.
"How often, on returning from the fields or the chase, we have seen
our mother at work on this very seat," observed Fritz.
"Aye," added Jack; "once I observed she had fallen asleep whilst
knitting stockings. I advanced on tip-toe, removed gently her knitting
apparatus, stockings, and all, and placed on her lap some ortolans
that I had caught and strangled; but I first plucked one of them, and
scattered the feathers all about, and then retreated into a thicket to
watch the _denouement_ of my scheme.
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