152 NEIGHBOURS UNKNOWN 



was threaded like a great oval bead on a 

 slender string running between the islet 

 and the mainland. The loon plunged nearly 

 to the bottom, that he might run no risk of 

 being detected by the enemy. More than 

 ever like a torpedo, as he pierced the brown 

 depths, he darted forward to the attack. 

 Two or three great lake trout, seeing the 

 approach of the black rushing shape, made 

 way in terror and hid in the deepest weed 

 patch they could find. But the loon was not 

 thinking of fish. The most tempting tit-bit 

 in the lake at that moment might have 

 brushed against his feathers with impunity. 



At last, still far ahead of him, he saw the 

 enemy's approach. As he looked upward 

 through the water, the under surface was 

 like a radiant but half transparent mirror, on 

 which the tiniest floating object, even a fly 

 or a wild-cherry petal, stood out with amazing 

 distinctness. The dark body of the swimming 

 mink was large and black and menacing 

 against its setting of silver, and the ripples 

 spread away from his chin, ever widening, 

 till they faded on the shore behind him. 

 The loon kept straight on till the mink was 

 almost above him, then he turned and shot 

 upwards. 



Thinking, doubtless, of some wild duck's 



