The dinner bell rang as the children wrote the last words.

“You see,” said the Doctor, “that though it is still raining and blowing, the morning has gone in a twinkling, and I now suspect the birthday cake is waiting to be cut.”

“Yes,” said Dodo, “I’ve been smelling the flowers and candles that go with a birthday cake for ever so long!  And after dinner we can accept Olive’s invitation and make candy—­can’t we, Uncle Roy?”

“I suppose so; and as nothing is too good for a rainy birthday, I will add something more to the feast.  I will tell you a birthday secret—­or, rather, what has been a secret until now.

“Next mouth we are all going to the sea-shore to spend a few weeks in Olaf’s little cabin, to bathe in the salt water, and sail in his sharpie.  Then you can ask all the questions you please about the marsh and water birds.  You will learn how the tides ebb and flow, and see the moon come up out of the water.

“There!  Don’t all talk at once!  Yes, Rap is coming with us—­and his mother also, to help take care of you children, for Mammy Bun must stay here.  She does not like to camp out—­says she is afraid of getting break-bone fever.

“Come, dinner first, and then talking, or the candles will burn out all alone!”

CHAPTER XXVIII

ON THE SHORE

By the first of August, bird housekeeping was over at Orchard Farm.  The Barn Swallow had guided her last brood through the hayloft window, without having it closed upon her as she had feared.  The friendly Robins had left the Orchard and lawn, to moult in the quiet of the woods.  The Thrashers, and Catbirds too, were quite silent and invisible; of all the voices that had made the last three months so musical, the Red-eyed Vireo and the Song Sparrow alone persisted in singing, aided by a few Wood Thrushes.

“Rap says that August is a poor month for birds about here,” said Nat to his uncle; “do you think there will be more of them down at the shore?”

“That we cannot tell until we go there, but we are likely to meet some of the Wading and Swimming Birds who have nested in the far North, and are on their southward journey.  If the weather is pleasant, they often pass by far out at sea; but if it is foggy or stormy, they may stop awhile to rest and feed.”

“Do many of these birds nest near our beach?”

“A few, but the greater number breed further north.  Olaf will show us Herons in the island woods, and where the Rails nest in the reeds, near the Marsh Wrens, a mile or two up the river.  Some day when it is calm, we will sail over to Great Gull Island, where many water birds lay their eggs on the bare sand.  There will be enough for you to see and do, I promise you.”

The next day they all went to the shore.  Mr. Wolf looked after them very sadly from the door of his kennel, where he was chained, and barked a gruff goodbye; but Quick informed them that he intended going also, took matters into his own hands, and started to run down the road ahead of the wagon.