**GULL DICK.»» 



ON the second of October, 1894, the men on a 

 certain lightship in Narragansett Bay were 

 looking eagerly to see whether an old friend had 

 returned to spend the winter with them. 



For twenty-two years a Gull had appeared each 

 October and flown about the ship in search of food, 

 till April, when he had disappeared for the summer. 



The men on a lightship see so little to amuse them, 

 that they soon noticed this Gull and offered him food. 

 He on his part grew bolder until he learned to visit 

 the ship regularly, as soon as morning came, and to 

 remain near it until it was time for him to return to 

 the rocks, where he spent the night. His favorite 

 food was pork or fish cut into pieces as large as a 

 hen's egg. He came closer to the ship than the other 

 Gulls, and the crew recognized him by certain marks 

 on his wings. 



There was much satisfaction aboard the lightship 

 when " Gull Dick" appeared on this particular morning, 

 but he seemed to have taken a long journey, and to 

 have suffered somewhat from storms. 



His plumage was ragged and his movements were 

 rather more feeble than they used to be. The men 



