IN FLOEIDA. 109 



which seemed to loom up higher and higher as we 

 approached. 



"Hadn't we better make sure of him," asked 

 Seth anxiously," we may never have such another 

 chance. You tell me these cranes are very scarce!" 



"Perhaps we had," I answered," what do you 

 think we had better do ? " 



" By all means," interrupted the doctor, who was 

 roused out of his usual equanimity, "let us make 

 every effort to kill him as a specimen. They are 

 exceedingly rare." 



" If you lay to," replied Seth, " and let Charley 

 row me ashore, I will get behind those bushes, and 

 think I can crawl within range of him." 



" If you are willing to take the trouble on the 

 chances," I answered. " Do, Mr. Green," begged 

 the ladies both together, their hopes of such feath- 

 ers as had never yet graced bonnet quite carrying 

 them into enthusiasm. 



Seth did not consider the labor of crawling 

 through the matted dense undergrowth in the hot 

 sun, nor the danger of snakes in the long grass, all 

 that he saw was the immense bird and all that he 

 wanted was to kill it. In a moment he and Charley 

 were off in the boat, and pulling for the shore. 

 Heartsease was luffed up into the wind, and lay 

 motionless on the scarcely ruffled water, contrasting 

 by its apparent indifference with the eager excite- 

 ment of the party on board. We watched the small 

 boat till it reached the bank, and was hastily con- 

 cealed by Charley, while Mr. Green disappeared im- 



