102 IN THE DAYS OF AUDUBON 



bon painted its fangs. The reptile was the embodiment of 

 the fire of rage. But the poison of the serpent was of the 

 same kind as the anger of an untrained nature, whether in 

 man or in animal. 



The wild bees held them; the serpent holding a bird 

 in thrall; and to them everywhere the world was song. 



Victor Audubon, the woods boy, saw the value of what 

 his father was doing, and he wondered if others would ever 

 see it. He himself was receiving an education such as no 

 other boy ever had. It hurt him more and more to hear 

 the tavern people speak lightly of what his father held to 

 be his calling. 



In their long journeys together amid the hills and 

 streams they talked of little but the discoveries they were 

 making. It filled a day with delight to find a new bird, to 

 hear him sing and note his habits. The study of a new 

 nest or an egg would fill an evening under the trees. 



When they emerged from some vast forest after long 

 wanderings, they would find newspapers at an inn which 

 would tell them what had happened in their absence. 



One day, as they came to a backwoods tavern, and Au- 

 dubon had looked over the gazette, Victor asked: 



" Is the,re anything new, father? " 



" Humboldt, I see, has been called to Prussia again. 

 The king sees what men are of real value to the world." 



" I wish that he might know what you are doing." 



" Do not harbor thoughts like these, my boy. Hum- 



