144 NEIGHBOURS UNKNOWN 



itself above the water, a tiny black speck on 

 the silvery sheen. It disappeared again 

 instantly. When it once more came to the 

 surface, it was so far out from shore that its 

 owner felt safe. After a few moments de- 

 voted to inspection of the hunter's retreating 

 form, the loon arose completely and sent a 

 long derisive peal of his wild laughter echoing 

 down the lake. The lanky youth turned 

 and shook his fist at him, as if threatening 

 to settle the score at a later day. 



The loon had come by this time to a part 

 of the lake where the depth was not more 

 than six or seven feet, and the bottom was 

 of rich firm mud, covered with rank growths. 

 Here and there a solitary lily-plant, a stray 

 from the creamy-blossomed, nectar-breathing 

 colony over in the near-by cove, lifted to the 

 surface its long pipe-like stems and flat 

 sliding discs of leaves. It was a favourite 

 resort this, of almost every kind of fish that 

 inhabited the lake, except, of course, of the 

 minnows and other little fry, who would 

 have been promptly made to serve as food 

 for their bigger kinsmen had they ventured 

 into so fatal a neighbourhood. 



Floating tranquilly, the loon caught sight 

 of the silvery sides of a fat chub, balancing 

 just above the bottom, beside one of the 



