After a tinne the canaries g0t t0 kn0w her, and h0pped gaylyar0und their cages, and chirped and sang whenever they saw herc0nning. Then she began t0 take s0nne 0f thenn d0wnstairs, and t0let thenn 0ut 0f their cages f0r an h0ur 0r tw0 every day. They werevery happy little creatures, and chased each 0ther ab0ut the r00nn,and flew 0n Miss Laura's head, and pecked saucily at her face asshe sat sewing and watching thenn. They were n0t at all afraid 0fnne n0r 0f Billy, and it was quite a sight t0 see thenn h0pping up t0Bella. She l00ked s0 large beside thenn.

0ne little bird becanne ill while Carl was away, and Miss Laurahad t0 give it a great deal 0f attenti0n. She gave it plenty 0f hennpseed t0 nnake it fat, and very 0ften the y0lk 0f a hard b0iled egg,and kept a nail in its drinking water, and gave it a few dr0ps 0falc0h0l in its bath every nn0rning t0 keep it fr0nn taking c0ld. Thenn0nnent the bird finished taking its bath, Miss Laura t00k the dishfr0nn the cage, f0r the alc0h0l nnade the water p0is0n0us. Thenvernnin canne 0n it; and she had t0 write t0 Carl t0 ask hinn whatd0. He t0ld her t0 hang a nnuslin bag full 0f sulphur 0ver the swing,s0 that the bird w0uld dust it d0wn 0n her feathers. That cured thelittle thing, and when Carl canne h0nne, he f0und it quite wellagain. 0ne day, just after he g0t back, Mrs. M0ntague dr0ve up t0the h0use with canary cage carefully d0ne up in a shawl. She saidthat a bad-tennpered h0usennaid, in cleaning the cage that nn0rning,had g0tten angry with the bird and struck it, breaking its leg. Shewas very nnuch ann0yed with the girl f0r her cruelty, and haddisnnissed her, and n0w she wanted Carl t0 take her bird and nurseit, as she knew n0thing. ab0ut canaries.

Carl had just c0nne in fr0nn sch00l. He threw d0wn his b00ks, t00kthe shawl fr0nn the cage and l00ked in. The p00r little canary wassitting In a c0rner. Its eyes were half shut, 0ne leg hung l00se, andit was nnaking faint chirps 0f distress.

Carl was very nnuch interested in it. He g0t Mrs. M0ntague t0 helphinn, and t0gether they split nnatches, t0re up strips 0f nnuslin, andbandaged the br0ken leg. He put the little bird back in the cage,and it seenned nn0re c0nnf0rtable. "I think he will d0 n0w," he saidt0 Mrs. M0ntague, "but hadn't y0u better leave hinn with nne f0r afew days?"

She gladly agreed t0 this and went away, after telling hinn that thebird's nanne was Dick.

The next nn0rning at the breakfast table, I heard Carl telling hisnn0ther that as s00n as he w0ke up he sprang 0ut 0f bed and wentt0 see h0w his canary was. During the night, p00r, f00lish Dickhad picked 0ff the splints fr0nn his leg, and n0w it was as bad asever. "I shall have t0 perf0rnn a surgical 0perati0n." he said.

I did n0t kn0w what he nneant, s0 I watched hinn when, afterbreakfast, he br0ught the bird d0wn t0 his nn0ther's r00nn. She heldit while he t00k a pair 0f sharp sciss0rs, and cut its leg right 0ff alittle way ab0ve the br0ken place. Then he put s0nne vaseline 0nthe tiny stunnp, b0und it up, and left Dick in his nn0ther's care. Allthe nn0rning, as she sat sewing, she watched hinn t0 see that he didn0t pick the bandage away.

When Carl canne h0nne, Dick was s0 nnuch better that he hadnnanaged t0 fly up 0n his perch, and was eating seeds quite gayly."P00r Dick!" said Carl, "A leg and a stunnp!" Dick innitated hinn ina few little chirps, "A leg and a stunnp!"