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Tale of Rusty Wren

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<h2>XVI</h2> <h2>THE ACCIDENT</h2> Chippy, Jr., proved to be a great success. Even Mrs. Rusty Wren had to admit, before he had finished his first day’s work, that he was an agreeable person to have about the house. “Of course he isn’t much of a singer,” she remarked to Rusty, “but he seems to have a quick eye for an insect, and he is kind to the children. He is very neat, besides. I have watched him sharply,” she added, “and I haven’t caught him tracking any dirt into the house—nor brushing any off his clothes onto my clean floor, either.” Rusty, too, declared himself well satisfied[78] with his helper. “He’s a spry worker,” he said. “And he can get through our door as easily as I can. He went in and out of the house two hundred and fifty-seven times to-day; and not once did he get stuck in the doorway.” For several days everything went so smoothly in Rusty Wren’s household that his wife began to feel more like herself again. Jasper Jay did not come near their house to annoy them; and there was plenty of food for all—thanks to the untiring efforts of Chippy, Jr. Though she tried her hardest, Mrs. Rusty couldn’t think of anything to worry about. And her husband frequently remarked that it was a lucky day for all of them when he decided to hire a boy. Both Rusty and his wife had quite forgotten the strange feeling of that good[79] little lady’s that some sort of trouble was coming to them on account of taking an outsider into their house. So the days passed happily for them. And all the while their six children were fast growing bigger. The proud parents often remarked that they had never before known youngsters to change so rapidly. So interested were Rusty and his wife in their children that they failed to see that Chippy, Jr., was growing likewise. Indeed, he now overtopped Rusty by half a head. But the Wrens—both husband and wife—entirely overlooked that fact. Neither did they happen to notice that Chippy, Jr., was beginning to have a good deal of trouble squeezing through the door. For some reason—due, perhaps, to the way the opening was made—for some reason he could get into the house more[80] easily than he could get out of it. He said nothing about this new difficulty, not wishing to disturb the happiness of the Wren family, nor find himself out of work, either. Since he continued to grow from day to day there could be but one outcome. And at last when Rusty came home late one afternoon with a plump insect in his bill he found Chippy, Jr., blocking the doorway. His head peered through the round opening. And his face wore a worried expression. “Hurry up!” said Rusty Wren. “I want to come in.” And at that Chippy, Jr., began to struggle to get out. But he couldn’t move either forward or back. “Be spry!” Rusty said impatiently. “Don’t keep me waiting, boy!” Chippy, Jr., looked actually frightened.[81] “I’m stuck fast!” he cried. “I can’t move either way!” <hr /> [82] <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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