'There's something in that,' replied Miss Wren; 'you have a sort of an idea in your noddle sometimes.' Then, in a changed tone;
'This is what your loving Jenny Wren calls the best time in the day and night,' said the person of the house.
Jenny Wren had her personal vanities--happily for her--and no intentions were stronger in her breast than the various trials and torments that were, in the fulness of time, to be inflicted upon
'Wherever he may happen to be just at present, or whoever he may happen to be,' said Miss Wren, 'I know his tricks and his manners, and I give him warning to look out.'
'Not a bit,' replied the sage Miss Wren, with an air of vast experience.
'You're more to be relied upon than silver and gold.' As she said it, Miss Wren suddenly broke off, screwed up her eyes and her chin, and looked prodigiously knowing.
He gave his hand to Jenny Wren, and he gave his hand to Lizzie, and he stood leaning by the door at Lizzie's side.
'Then why don't you reform and be a good dog?' inquired Miss Wren.
Wren's strange account of the matter, given under oath in the course of legal proceedings relating to the Williamson estate, here follows:
The boy James Wren had declared at first that he SAW the disappearance, but there is nothing of this in his testimony given in court.
'Children, rejoice, eat and drink to your heart's content, we have won the battle!' But the young
wrens said: 'We will not eat yet, the bear must come to the nest, and beg for pardon and say that we are honourable children, before we will do that.' Then the willow-wren flew to the bear's hole and cried: 'Growler, you are to come to the nest to my children, and beg their pardon, or else every rib of your body shall be broken.' So the bear crept thither in the greatest fear, and begged their pardon.
Then the twins crumbled their bread on the ground, and the
wrens pecked it, and chirruped and chirped.