Page 202 - Child's own book

determined to finish their game, and were so long about it, that
they were afmid of going into school. Foolish boys ! instead of
trusting to their master's mercy, or acknowledging; the truth,
and entreating pardon, they made had worse, and went out bird’s'
nesting. The first they found was that of a robin, when one of
them, who had more tenderness than the others, endeavoured to
persuade his companions to spare it, observing that it was these
birds which covered over the babes in the wood with leaves,
when they were starved to death. But he tried in vain to
save them; down went the nest, while the parent birds made
lamentable moans for their lost young.
“ C’:iJ!f>iis nmst he Uie vmjiliful brcisl,
\V 1i»;r h.inds tliui Bpoil thr fenllu'r^! neM,
And helpless innufcncc muUst."
They proceeded in dooming nest after nest to destruction, till
they came to that of a turtle-dove, built in a fall spreading tree,
on one of the upper branches, that overhung a deep river,
Harry tried to persuade young (Jraceles* to leave* it untouched.
This advice was rejected with
contempt- ** There is no
danger,Ft said he ; anil climb­
ing the trunk, put forth his
hand to take the eggs. At
that instant the branch broke,
and the truant was precipi­
tated into the stream, ** Save
me f save me I " he cried ;
“ oh that I had minded King S. -
Pippin, this would not have
been." No aid was near, and
his companions tried their
efforts in vain to rescue him from a watery grave. They
o 2