Page 36 - Fairbrass

Martin was the best of them, but he

was so busy with his sticky mud that he
wouldn't say a word to me. I know now
why poor father looks so sad when he

comes home from that wicked thing called
business.’

‘ Not so fast, Fairbrass/ said a tall
Hollyhock, with a great number of rose-red

blooms, of which it was immensely proud,
and with any number of buds ready to

replace the rose-red blooms when they had
gone, and so make a fine second show,

'N o t so fast, my young friend. What is
the use of asking birds the meaning of

business P Their one idea of life is to kill
and fight and steal as much as they can,

1 hat's their idea of business. They're mere
rabble, are the birds.’

'I beg your pardon/ said Fairbrass,
hotly, i What about their singing ? 1

‘Very vastly over-rated, I consider/ said
the Hollyhock; 4 and yet to be quite just,

which I always try to be, if some of it wakes
my buds up too early in the morning, it