SCAVENGERS 129 



"With nothing to fear, the male now stalked for- 

 ward, and was soon hard at work at what was left 

 of the carcass. His appetite less capacious than 

 that of his lady, his dinner was soon over, and off 

 he strode to a fresh spot of grass, where he went 

 through the same process of wiping his mouth and 

 stretching and yawning. This being finished, he 

 mounted the rail by the side of his mistress. 



"More interesting far than either of the parents 

 were the three black creatures that stood upon the 

 pine log. Fixed to the spot as though they had 

 grown there, with scarcely moving heads and down- 

 cast eyes, they eagerly watched the food disappear- 

 ing, wondering, mayhap, as children are prone to 

 do, if it would all disappear before they had a 

 chance of testing its virtues, but maintaining their 

 souls the while in perfect serenity of repose. But 

 their time had at length arrived, and down from the 

 log they cast themselves instanter, three lusty fel- 

 lows as large as the parents, but one of them, from 

 his limping gate, proving to be lame. Great con- 

 sideration was shown the disabled one by the others, 

 who permitted him to feed first, while they stood 

 aside until he had satisfied his hunger, when, with- 

 out the least bit of ceremony or the least indication 

 of ill-nature or selfishness, they set to work, finish- 

 ing in quick order what edible was left of the dead 



