26 About the Feathered Folk. 



And in all that time hunger and 

 pain must have torn at the Eagle's 

 very life. It could, certainly, fly 

 slowly through the blue air: it 

 could reach the mountain peaks, 

 where it must have lain panting in 

 the sun, suffering dumbly day by 

 day. It could find water to quench 

 its thirst ; but food the prey which 

 Nature designed for its needs 

 must have been an impossible quest 

 for those weakened and weighted 

 wings. 



Campbell's clasp-knife was out in 

 a moment, the dry sinews were 

 divided, and the horrid iron thing 

 fell to the ground. Then we con- 

 sidered how to feed the bird. 

 Campbell's mother, a kindly High- 

 land woman, gladly gave up the 

 uncooked shoulder of mutton, which 

 was to have served for " the week's 

 end," when the Sabbath roast leg 

 should all be consumed. A shoulder 

 of mutton makes a respectable meal 



