BIRD STORIES 



He lifted his burden high in the air, holding it in his 

 strong talons; and he did not falter once in his steady 

 flight, although the load weighed nearly as much as he 

 did, and he carried it two miles without resting once. 



Yes, I think Uncle Sam was proud of that day's hunt- 

 ing and happy with what he had caught ; and the tender 

 meat tasted good to him and his family. 



But the man who had owned the lamb before Uncle 

 Sam caught it was not pleased. He happened to be com- 

 ing out of the woods just in time to see the capture; and 

 an hour later the boy and the girl who lived within sight 

 of Uncle Sam's nest met the man and saw that he carried 

 a gun. 



^^I'm after a white-headed sheep thief," he said; ^^do 

 you know which way he flew, after he reached the cliff? " 



The boy's face turned white in a second, and he 

 held his fists together very still and very tight. The girl 

 looked at her younger brother and then at the man. 



''Yes, we know," she said, ''and we will not tell." 



"Why?" asked the man. "He took the lamb I was 

 going to roast when it was big enough." 



The girl chuckled a little merrily. "And Uncle Sam 

 got ahead of you," she said. "Never mind, I'll get the 

 money to pay for his dinner. The eagles here usually eat 

 fish from the lake, and sometimes game from the swamp ; 

 but once in a very, very long while they take a lamb . 



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