16 HOMING WITH THE BIRDS 



according to their will, as I envied nothing else on 

 earth. I had haunted the region of this nest so 

 long that I knew it contained a mother bird and a 

 pair of young big enough to look down at me over 

 the edge of the nest, while I was quite sure that the 

 birds were as well acquainted with me as I was 

 with them. 



So, for the first time in my life, I contradicted my 

 father. 



"He won't!" I cried. "This bird knows me. 

 He knows I would not hurt him. Oh, do please 

 give him to me!" 



To prove my assertion, I twisted from my 

 father's grasp and laid my hands on the bird. 

 The hawk huddled against me for protection. In 

 a choice between a towering man who threatened 

 with a rifle and the familiar figure of a child who 

 offered protection, is it any wonder that the bird 

 preferred the child? My father gazed at us in 

 amazement. 



"God knows I do not understand you," he said 

 in all reverence. "Keep the bird, if you think you 

 can!" 



After my father had gone, the hawk began to 

 revive from the shock. He was not so friendly as 

 I had hoped he would be. In fact, he showed de- 

 cided signs of wanting to scratch and bite. I did 

 nol know how lo begin caring for him. My first 

 thoughl was that he should be in a shady place, 

 where he could have something to perch upon. I 



