72 About the Featliered Folk. 



The salt, biting breath of the 

 ocean was about us ; the angry 

 waves surged and swept in stinging 

 spray along the boat's clean sides ; 

 the captain leaned watchful on the 

 bridge; the man at the wheel bit 

 his lips as he struggled to keep a 

 straight course, in spite of the 

 hurling tides. 



A great silence reigned, save for 

 the sobbing of the sea. One felt 

 so small and mean a thing upon the 

 sea, under the sky, bare and un- 

 sheltered, beneath the very glance 

 of God. 



Suddenly, from beyond the Kin- 

 tyre cliffs, over the plunging seas, 

 came the thrilling, cadenced notes 

 of a Skylark's song. 



Fuller and clearer it came as the 

 bird soared higher. Sweeter and 

 softer now, as the wind wafted the 

 sound towards us. 



" Hear to the laverocks," said the 

 captain very low, as if to himself: 



