and pushed him off the branch. Dicky, finding himself in actual danger of falling, now gladly stretched his pinions, and upborne by the air, he gently descended to the ground, so near the spot where Robin stood, that the latter easily reached him by hopping.
The mother now undertook to conduct Flapsy and Pecksy, whilst the father stayed to take care of the two already landed. Flapsy made a thousand difficulties, but at length yielded to her mother's persuasions, and flew safely down. Pecksy, without the least hesitation, accompanied her, and by exactly following the directions given, found the task much easier than she expected.
As soon as they had a little recovered from the fatigue and fright of their first essay at flying, they began to look around them with astonishment. Every object on which they turned their eyes excited their curiosity and wonder. They were no longer confined to a little nest built in a small hole, but were now at full liberty in the open air. The orchard itself appeared to them to be a world. For some time each remained silent, gazing round, first at one thing, then at another; at length Flapsy cried out, What a charming place the world is! I had no conception that it was half so big!"
