THE BOY AND THE KAfJLR. 



greedy beak, with wings ex- 

 panded and ferocious eye, 

 flung itself upon him. 



I felt myself tremble from 

 head to foot; I shut my 

 eyes that I might not see ; 

 but presently opening them 

 again, I discovered two of 

 Ben's brothers endeavouring 

 to haul in the rope, while 

 a third threatened the eagle 

 with a huge stone, though 

 unable to reach it. 



What part to take in the 

 affair, I knew not ; to fire at 

 the eagle was impossible, for 

 a shot might hit poor Ben. 

 With open mouth I stood, 

 rooted to the spot, equally 

 unable to stir or speak. 

 Under his arms the courage- 

 ous lad clasped firmly a couple 

 of eaglets, but just as the 

 eagle was about to fly at his 

 face, he suffered one of them 

 to escape. My anguish was 

 indescribable, but through 

 my half-closed eyelids I saw 

 the king of air dash head- 

 long downwards to arrest 



o 



in its fall his fluttering little 



" WAVERING TO AND FRO." 



