Chapter X

"It was a year ago today I found [Jimmy Crow]," said Jack. "He must have a 'birthday' party." So [Jack] invited the [children] he and Jimmy liked best to "Jimmy's picnic."

They all went up to the [berry]-pasture where Jack found [Jimmy Crow]. First there was little Ibelle, carrying Jimmy Crow in her [arms]. Next came her big brother Alden, who had a [basket] with [six pears] in it. Louise had [six sticks of candy] in a [bag], and Bob brought [six donuts] in a [box]. Russell carried [six cookies] in a [parcel], and last came Jack with a tin [bucket]. Nobody knew what was in it. That was Mama's "surprise."

They sat down under a shady [tree] and divided the goodies. [Jimmy Crow] sat in the middle, and they each gave him a piece. After they had all eaten a [stick of candy] and [donut] and [pear] and [cookie], Jack opened the [bucket]. The children all put their [heads] close together to see, and as the [lid] came off they shouted, "Oh, oh! Ice-cream!"

Then they sat down again in a circle, [Jack] in the middle, with a [spoon]. He gave each one a [spoonful of ice-cream] in turn. Oh, how good it tasted!

But [Jimmy Crow] wanted some, and when Jack would not let him eat from the spoon, he grabbed it in his [beak] and flew away. The [children] chased him until he dropped it, and then gave him a taste of the ice-cream. He didn't like it, so the [children] ate it all.

Then they picked [berries], until Alden's [basket] and Bob's [box] and Louise's [bag] were all full.

Just as they were starting home, a little tired after all the fun--"Hurrah!" shouted Russell. "Here comes Uncle Charlie, with his [wagon]. He will give us a ride." So kind [Uncle Charlie] tossed them up into the hay, one by one--little Ibelle first--and they all rode home on the [hay]. [Edith Francis Foster]

[IN SCHOOL.]

JIMMY CROW.