CHAPTER XIX 



A FEATHERED FISHERMAN 

 THE OSPREY 



Before the day was over the children were so in 

 love with Olaf — with the beach where crabs were liv- 

 ing, with the sea over which water birds were soaring 

 — and wished to know so many things, that the Doctor 

 told them the only way to satisfy them would be to 

 camp on the shore in August, when the water would be 

 warm enough for bathing ; for to answer all the ques- 

 tions they asked would take a month. 



"And then you can tell us another bookful about 

 water and fish, and crabs and sky," said Dodo. '^ So 

 we shall have a bird book, and a butterfly book, and 

 Olive's flower book ! " 



'' Yes, and a beast book, too I " said Nat, " about 

 coons and bears, and squirrels and foxes, you know ! 

 Rap has seen foxes right on our Farm ! " 



" I wish I knew something about the stars — and the 

 rocks too," said Rap very earnestly. " Was this earth 

 ever young. Doctor ? " 



" Yes, my boy, everything that Heart of Nature 

 guides had a beginning and was once young." 



" What is that ? An Eagle ? " cried Dodo suddenly, 

 pointing up to a very large bird, with a wdiite breast 



281 



