WITH BEAK AND CLAW 33 



When he reached the lowermost fork and pre- 

 pared to climb higher, Shan saw in the sky, in the 

 direction of the lake, a decidedly discomfiting 

 sight. 



The male Fish-Hawk was returning to the nest. 



Shan whistled in dismay. This would compli- 

 cate matters. It would be bad enough to face the 

 female Fish-Hawk, eager to protect her eggs, but 

 two angry birds might be more than he could man- 

 age. Perhaps, after feeding his mate, the big 

 Osprey would go away. Shan settled himself in 

 the fork of the tree to wait. 



As before, on seeing the intruder, the Fish-Hawk 

 circled the tree several times before alighting, but 

 at last decided that his mate was too hungry for 

 delay and soared to the edge of the nest. He did 

 not stay after dropping his fish, but flew away at 

 once, sailing in wide circles round the tree, watch- 

 ing the strange boy-creature ensconced in the 

 crotch of the cedar right below his nest. 



Shan waited. 



So did the Fish-Hawk. 



The only method of success with wild creatures 

 is silence and immobility. Settling into a com- 

 fortable position, Shan became motionless. The 

 Fish-Hawk wheeled about the tree, keeping his eye 



