Read Online Spring According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney - Free Book Online Page B

Cassie was also WORRIED-WORRIED-WORRIED about finding signs of spring.
    And as the week went on, she got more and more worried.
    ‘Do some deep breathing,’ her mum said when Cassie moaned that she couldn’t find one new thing to add to her list.
    ‘I’m busy,’ Cammy said when Cassie begged her to help.
    Cassie’s dad took her to the park one day. They were gone for hours, but when she came back, she was almost in tears.
    ‘Sure, the grass is starting to turn green and the trees have buds on them. But they’re already on the list ! Mrs Brisbane will be so upset if I can’t find something,’ she said.
    ‘I thought Mrs Brisbane was your favourite teacher ever,’ her dad said. ‘She’ll understand.’
    But Cassie was still upset.
    The next day, Cassie’s mum took her for a long walk around the neighbourhood. I crossed my toes and hoped that the exercise would calm her down.
    I spent the day in my cage, napping, spinning on my wheel and staring out of the window. I missed Og. I missed my classmates. I even missed the specks!
    That afternoon, while I was thinking about them and looking out of the window, I noticed something new.
    A small brown bird alighted on a tree branchand then hopped a few inches, just out of my view.
    I climbed to the top of my cage. I could see it!
    The bird hopped further until I couldn’t see it again. So I scurried over to the corner and stretched my neck. The bird was standing on the edge of a nest. A smaller brown bird was inside the nest.
    My neck was getting tired, but I kept staring at the nest. It was woven out of twigs, bits of mud, fluff, paper, and straw.
    It was a wonderful sight! And birds’ nests are definitely signs of spring.
    I couldn’t wait for Cassie to come back from her walk so she could see it, too.
    When she returned, she looked VERY-VERY-VERY discouraged as she slumped down on her bed.
    ‘Nothing new,’ she said. ‘The signs of spring have stopped.’
    I raced to the front of my cage and squeaked, ‘NO-NO-NO! There is a birds’ nest right outside the window. Look!’
    I tried to point, but since Cassie wasn’t looking at me, it didn’t matter.
    She sighed. ‘I’ll be the only one in Room Twenty-six without a new sign of spring.’
    ‘Look outside! At the very edge of the window!’ I squeaked at the top of my lungs.
    Cassie didn’t notice. As wonderful as they are, humans can be very frustrating at times.
    In fact, I was so frustrated that I jumped up and down. ‘Please look!’
    Cassie glanced over at me and smiled. ‘Oh, Humphrey, you’re so cute.’
    Cute? I don’t care about being cute! (Okay, maybe a little bit.)
    To squeak the truth, I was a little bit upset with Cassie until I realized that from where she was sitting, she couldn’t see the tree branch. The curtain was blocking her view.
    ‘Pull back the curtain!’ I squeaked. ‘It’s right outside the window.’
    Cassie just sighed.

    Of course, once it was dark outside, there was no chance of Cassie seeing the nest.
    She left the room to have dinner and watch television with her family.
    As she did, I began to think.
    Squeaking at Cassie wasn’t helping at all, since she couldn’t understand me. I needed to show her the nest – but how?
    Later, Cassie came back to her room for bedtime. She read for a while before her dad turned off the light.
    ‘I hope you’re not too disappointed in me, Humphrey,’ Cassie said.
    Then her breathing changed and I could tell that she was asleep.
    Her mum had closed the curtain completely when she said good night to Cassie, but there was a little opening that let some moonlight in.
    I stared at the moonlight a long time before I came up with a Plan.
    I waited until the house was completely quiet, and then I carefully jiggled the lock-that-doesn’t-lock on my cage and tiptoed out on to the table.
    There was only about an inch of space between the table and the windowsill.
    I held my breath and leaped.
    Whew! I was pawsitively relieved to land