32 STOKIES OF BIRD LIFE 



all could hear, from the edge of the breakers up to the 

 dunes and beyond. The yellow-legs were the sentinels, 

 and were always the first to see the approach of an enemy. 

 When the clear whistling danger call of the yellow-legs 

 came down on the wind, the beach birds gathered them- 

 selves for a sudden dash; for in flight, rather than in 

 crouching, their chief safety now lay. Men with guns were 

 the foes most to be feared at this season. 



The boy who lived at the lighthouse would bring his old 

 musket every day or two and run along the beach after the 

 droves of birds, shooting, and calling to his dog to catch 

 them. And the dog would rush barking across the sand 

 at any flock of birds which settled near. All this but 

 added to the birds' experiences of the day and they did 

 not object to the element of danger in the sport, for sel- 

 dom was anyone hurt. 



There came a day which they all had cause to remem- 

 ber. One morning the shrill warning flute of the yellow- 

 legs suddenly rang out and sounded again and again. 

 These birds had arisen from the sand and were flying 

 swiftly down the beach, calling to everybody that danger 

 was abroad. The distant discharge of a gun was followed 

 in a few seconds by flocks of birds hurrying down the 

 shore. Eunning to the top of his favorite dune, Bib-neck 

 saw four or five men with guns, coming at a distance. 



