THE LAKE IN THE VALLEY 137 



sitting, but she looked like a bird on a 

 small round boat on a rough sea. The 

 nest, which was only an inch or two 

 above the water, bent up and down as 

 the waves rolled in. The birds knew 

 their danger, and again showed what 

 determination can do. The male bird 

 worked as he had never worked before. 

 He swam rapidly to a sheltered part of 

 the lake, then dived and brought up a 

 bunch of wet weeds ; hurrying to his 

 mate he gave these to her, and not waiting 

 a moment went away in quest of more. 

 All the morning he worked like this, and 

 every time he brought material his mate 

 placed it on the nest to strengthen it. 

 The result was, that later in the day 

 the nest was so firm that it withstood 

 the force of the gale ; but still the Grebes 

 did not rest, and they kept adding to 

 their home until it had been raised several 

 inches. I could not help admiring their 

 pluck ; I have seen many a Grebe's nest 



