A PAIK OF EAGLES 73 



that summer for carrying out his threat. If he caught 

 sight of one of them it was either when his gun was not 

 at hand, or the bird was too far away. During the winter 

 when the birds repaired to their nest to rear their young, 

 the sheep raiser thought the time for their destruction had 

 arrived. Waiting until he knew the eggs had been laid, 

 he took his gun, loaded it with heavy shot, and secreted 

 himself one morning near the big pine in the swamp. He 

 meant to kill the old birds as they approached or left the 

 nest. 



When he arrived there was no sign of life about the big 

 dark structure high in the tree. Hour after hour went by 

 but no eagle appeared. Not until eleven o'clock was his 

 watchfulness rewarded. Then before he was aware of its 

 approach the home coming eagle had wheeled and was off 

 in a twinkling out of gun shot. He sent three ounces of 

 lead whizzing after it, then gave up the attempt and went 

 home. 



The next morning found the hunter again in the eagle 

 haunted woods near the lake. He made himself com- 

 fortable on a bed of long moss which he pulled from the 

 trees. From his position he had a commanding view of the 

 nest and a clear field in which to aim. He propped up the 

 muzzle of his gun with a forked stick which he stuck in the 

 ground, that the weapon might be more convenient to fire 



