Other birds , said Solomon , omitted to line their nests with mud , and as a result they did not hold water . Here he cocked his head as if he had used an unanswerable argument ; but , unfortunately , a Mrs. Finch had come to the meeting uninvited , and she squeaked out , ` We do n't build nests to hold water , but to hold eggs , ' and then the thrushes stopped cheering , and Solomon was so perplexed that he took several sips of water . ` Consider , ' he said at last , ` how warm the mud makes the nest . ' ` Consider , ' cried Mrs. Finch , ` that when water gets into the nest it remains there and your little ones are drowned . ' The thrushes begged Solomon with a look to say something crushing in reply to this , but again he was perplexed . ` Try another drink , ' suggested Mrs. Finch pertly . Kate was her name , and all Kates are saucy . -LSB- Illustration : For years he had been quietly filling his stocking -RSB- Solomon did try another drink , and it inspired him . ` If , ' said he , ' a finch 's nest is placed on the Serpentine it fills and breaks to pieces , but a thrush 's nest is still as dry as the cup of a swan 's back . ' How the thrushes applauded ! Now they knew why they lined their nests with mud , and when Mrs. Finch called out , ` We do n't place our nests on the Serpentine , ' they did what they should have done at first -- chased her from the meeting . After this it was most orderly . What they had been brought together to hear , said Solomon , was this : their young friend , Peter Pan , as they well knew , wanted very much to be able to cross to the Gardens , and he now proposed , with their help , to build a boat . At this the thrushes began to fidget , which made Peter tremble for his scheme . Solomon explained hastily that what he meant was not one of the cumbrous boats that humans use ; the proposed boat was to be simply a thrush 's nest large enough to hold Peter . But still , to Peter 's agony , the thrushes were sulky . ` We are very busy people , ' they grumbled , ` and this would be a big job . ' ` Quite so , ' said Solomon , ` and , of course , Peter would not allow you to work for nothing . You must remember that he is now in comfortable circumstances , and he will pay you such wages as you have never been paid before . Peter Pan authorises me to say that you shall all be paid sixpence a day . '
Then all the XXXXX hopped for joy , and that very day was begun the celebrated Building of the Boat .
Gardens Pan Peter Solomon day drowned finch first thrushes years