BIRD STORIES 



at the rocks on the shore-edge, he found tempting bits of 

 insect game to eat as he waded along. 



Oho ! here was Peter on an island as big as an umbrella, 

 with a scooped-out place at one side as deep as the 

 hollow in the palm of a man's hand. This was shaped 

 exactly right for Peter's bathtub, and as luck would 

 have it, it was filled to the brim with water. Such a cool 

 splashing — once, twice, thrice, with a long delightful 

 flutter; and then out into the warm sunshine, where the 

 feathers could be puffed out and dried ! These were the 

 very first real feathers he had ever had, and he had n't 

 had them very long; and my, oh, my! but it was fun 

 running his beak among them, and fixing them all fine, 

 like a grown-up bird. And when he was bathed and dried, 

 there was a snack to eat near by floating toward him on 

 the water. 



Oh! Ho! and Oho! it was a day to be gay in, with so 

 many new amusements wherever three brave, fearless 

 little sandpipers might stray. 



Then came sundown; and in the pleasant twilight 

 Peter and Pan and Sandy somehow found themselves 

 near each other on the bank, still walking forth so brave 

 and bold, and yet each close enough to his brothers to 

 hear a ''Peep," were it ever so softly whispered. 



Did it just happen that about that time Mother Piper 

 came flying low over the water from Faraway Island to 



36 



