SENTRY OF THE SEDGE FLATS 59 



veins, so that he loved to slaughter even when 

 his appetite was well-sated, he preferred, of 

 course, big game something that could 

 struggle, and suffer, and give him the sense of 

 killing. A nesting duck or plover, for ex- 

 ample, or a family of musquash that was 

 something worth while. On this day he had 

 caught nothing but insects and a few dull 

 frogs. He was savage for red blood. 



Very short in the legs, but extraordinarily 

 long in the body, lithe, snake-like in his swift 

 darting movements, every inch of him a 

 bundle of tough elastic muscles, with a sharp 

 triangular head and incredibly malevolent 

 eyes, the mink was a figure to be dreaded by 

 creatures many times his size. As he came 

 round the bend of the stream, and saw the 

 great blue bird lying at the water's edge with 

 wings outstretched, the picture of helpless- 

 ness, his eyes glowed suddenly like live coals 

 blown upon. He ran forward without an 

 instant's hesitation, and made as if to spring 

 straight at the captive's throat. 



This move, however, was but a feint ; for 

 the big mink, though his knowledge of herons 

 was by no means complete, knew nevertheless 

 that the heron's beak was a weapon to beware 

 of. He swerved suddenly, sprang lightly to 

 one side, and tried to close in from the rear. 



