144 ON THE UPPER ST. JOHN'S. 



negroes, shad-fishers, were just beyond us 

 (we had seen them there in the morning, 

 wading about the river setting their nets), 

 and at the sight of them and of us, I have 

 no doubt, the eagle turned away. The boy 

 was not peculiar in his notion about the os- 

 prey's scream. Some one else had told me 

 that the bird always screamed after catch, 

 ing a fish. But I knew better, having seen 

 him catch a hundred, more or less, without 

 uttering a sound. The safe rule, in such 

 cases, is to listen to all you hear, and be- 

 lieve it after you have verified it for 

 yourself. 



It was while we were discussing this ques- 

 tion, I think, that the boy opened his heart 

 to me about my methods of study. He had 

 looked through the glass now and then, and 

 of course had been astonished at its power. 

 " Why," he said finally, " I never had any 

 idea it could be so much fun just to look at 

 birds in the way you do ! " I liked the turn 

 of his phrase. It seemed to say, " Yes, I be- 

 gin to see through it. We are in the same 

 boat. This that you call study is only an- 

 other kind of sport." I could have shaken 

 hands with him but that he had the oars. 



