At last it came, and was favorable. The female bird came flying
to the post with a beakful of fine dry grass, and her mate, on a spray
near, broke out into his soft, rapturous song. The master of the house
gave a great sigh of relief. A glimmer of a smile passed over his wan
face as he muttered, "I expected to be alone this summer, but I am to
have a family with me, after all."
Soon after the lunch had been discussed leisurely and hilariously the
maple-sugar camp was left in the care of Alf and Johnnie, with Abram to
assist them. Amy longed for a stroll, but even with the protection of
rubber boots she found that the departing frost had left the sodded
meadow too wet and spongy for safety. Under Webb's direction she picked
her way to the margin of the swollen stream, and gathered some pussy
willows that were bursting their sheaths.
CHAPTER XXIII
REGRETS AND DUCK-SHOOTING
Saturday afternoon, as is usual in the country, brought an increased number
of duties to the inhabitants of the farmhouse, but at the supper hour they
all, except Burt, looked back upon the day with unwonted satisfaction. He
had returned weary, hungry, and discontented, notwithstanding the fact that
several brace of ducks hung on the piazza as trophies of his skill. He was
in that uncomfortable frame of mind which results from charging one's self
with a blunder. In the morning he had entered on the sport with his usual
zest, but it had soon declined, and he wished he had remained at home.
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