Edward also, which made his cousins laugh heartily.  The children all thought they had rather lose the apples than such a pretty bird, and were not quite satisfied with Mr. Wilson for sending him away.  To divert their minds, he told them to put on their hats, and take a ramble in the fields with him, and perhaps he would walk with them up the high hill near his farm, if their little visitor thought his legs were strong enough to climb so high.  Edward thought they were; so they set off, shouting and racing through the fields, while Mr. Wilson followed leisurely in the road.

They found it rather hard work to climb the hill, which was very steep, but when they got to the top, they were well paid for all their trouble.  They could see many pretty towns, with the beautiful river gliding along through them, and many high hills, like the one they were on, far away in the distance.  Mr. Wilson pointed out and told them the names of the different villages which were in sight, and thus amused and instructed them till they were all well rested.  Then they started down the hill, and except a few tumbles, reached the foot of it in safety.

Mr. Wilson then led the way for a walk over his large farm.  In one of the fields they stopped to see a flock of sheep.  Among them were a great number of pretty white lambs, skipping and jumping about, kicking up their little legs, wagging their tails, and looking so innocent and happy, that Edward could not bear to leave them.  But his cousins, who were accustomed to these things, were impatient to be gone, and Edward was soon scampering after them, from field to field;—­first to see the men plowing, where George mounted one horse and William another, and rode before the plows for a few minutes; then, leaving Mr. Wilson there, they chased the butterflies, and picked the early flowers, as they ranged through other fields, until they came to a pleasant little piece of woods, where they stopped to look at the old hollow oak, in which all four could just crowd in.  Here they stopped to rest a little, and to watch the labors of a a pretty bird building its nest on the branch of a neighboring tree.

Then they wandered down in a meadow to get a drink of water from a fine spring near the foot of a huge old tree, and having refreshed themselves, turned their steps homewards.  On their way, the cousins showed Edward a shining little brook of clear water, which ran murmuring through their farm, and pointed out a great many objects which were quite new to him.  It was a pleasant and joyful ramble to them all; but Edward was well tired when they reached home.

[Illustration:  The Ferry.]