"
As Uncle Andy paused again at this point the Babe, who was always
polite, felt that he was really expected to ask a question here. If he
did not, it might look as if he were not taking an interest. He would
rather ask too many questions than run the risk of seeming
inappreciative.
"_Why_ were there only two young ones in the nest in the pine tree?" he
inquired.
It was very hard to know sometimes just what would please Uncle Andy,
and what wouldn't. But this time it was quite all right.
"Now, that's a proper, sensible question," said he. "I was just coming
to that. You see, there ought to have been four youngsters in that
nest, too, for there had been four greeny-blue, brown-spotted eggs to
start with. But even crows have their troubles. And the pair that
owned this particular nest were a somewhat original and erratic couple.
When the mother had laid her last egg and was getting ready to sit, she
decided to take an airing before settling down to work. Though her
mate was not at hand to guard the nest, she flew off down to the farm
to see if there was anything new going on among those foolish men, or
perhaps to catch a mouse among the cornstalks."
"Do _crows_ eat _mice_?" demanded the Babe in astonishment.
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