They gathered it up and hurried out to the Birds, who were now eating
crumbs and looking fairly good-natured; though you could tell by the
way Yassuh's knees trembled that he had found them in a dreadful
state.
Well, you can hardly imagine how busy they were kept, all that
afternoon--Sara and Yassuh and Pirlaps and Avrillia--supplying crumbs
and suet to those thankless Birds. The lovely Skybird did, toward
sundown, trill a beautiful little song of gratitude; but she addressed
it to nobody in particular, and looked all the time straight into a
fog-bush--because of course it would have been very bad manners, as
she thought, to pay any attention to her hosts. The little When cast a
bright look at Avrillia, who whispered, when no one was looking, "Next
year, dear--the first snow," and the Snicker, who was the most
reckless of all, nudged Sara with his elbow and said in a
stage-whisper, "Certainly did have a good time," and then snickered
loud and long. But the Popinjay and the Squawk and the Redpecker
departed without a word of thanks for all the food they had eaten and
all the trouble they had caused.
As soon as they were gone Pirlaps and Avrillia drew a long, relieved
breath; then Pirlaps tossed his step to Yassuh and seized Avrillia
about the waist, and whirled her up and down the silver paths in the
gayest, most fantastic little dance Sara had ever seen.
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