Chambers's graduated readers

7. How odd he looks, winking his big eyes so slowly, and tossing his old head from side to side!' 'Yes,' replied Harry, 'he is watching your dog. Be quiet, sir.'

8. Then Harry went on: We have found out such a funny thing about the way he eats. He breaks the bones of a little mouse

-snap, snap; and then he swallows the mouse whole. In about an hour or two, he throws up out of his beak all the bones and the skin of the mouse rolled up in a little ball.'

9. Next day Johnnie heard that the owl had been set free, and that he had flown off to his old hole in the hollow oak.

EXERCISES.-1. Pronounce and write :

2. Mention or write down the names of eight things in the lesson.

3. Tell which of the words in section 6 are nouns, and which verbs.

1. One warm day Willie went out to fly his kite. There was very little wind, but he ran up and down the dusty road, trying to make the kite rise in the air. While he was running, it would go up a little way; but, as soon as he stopped, down it would come again to the ground. After a while he became tired of his kite; so he put it under a bush, in a corner of the fence.

2. Then he saw a pretty yellow butterfly among the weeds by the side of the road. He ran after it, and tried to catch it; but the butterfly gave him a long chase, and escaped from him after all.

3. He was tired now, and warm and thirsty; so he hurried on to a spring which he knew was under an old oak-tree by the road-side. Willie found the shade of the tree very pleasant, and he made haste to drink of the clear, cold water.

4. He stepped out on a plank lying near

the edge of the water, and knelt down to drink; but, as he did so, he noticed something written on the plank. He stopped to read it. Some one had written there these words: Rest in the shade before you drink.'

5. Why must I wait?' said Willie. 'I am thirsty and warm, and this water is so fresh and cool! I will rest in the shade after I drink; I am thirsty now, and cannot wait.' He drank as much as he wished, and bathed his hands and face in the cool water; then he lay down to rest.

6. Soon he began to feel very strange. He was so dizzy, that he feared he was going to be ill. He hurried home, and by the time he reached the house he was ill indeed.

7. Poor Willie! He did not get out of doors again for many days. The doctor came to see him and give him medicine, and for a long time every one thought he could not get well again; but at last he did, and once more was able to go out.