said Mrs. Polly, "that they begin to suspect me; and Tom said the other day that I had fooled him so many times that he shouldn't come again if I called. Let me see—" and Mrs. Polly put on her very wisest expression.
"There's one way we could fix it," said the sparrow. "Here's my friend the barn-cat; she's so fond of me she can't have me near enough. Suppose I place myself where Posy can see me, and the barn-cat can make believe spring at me just as she did a few minutes ago. The dear thing! we know she does it out of affection for me, but Posy will think she's in earnest."
"A very good plan," said Mrs. Polly. "Really quite a bright idea," she said in an undertone to the canary, "though it wouldn't do to tell him so, he's so well satisfied with himself."
The barn-cat had been very quiet since her attempt to spring at the sparrow, but
