THE ROBBERS OF THE FALLS 



climb the tree and was overjoyed to find the shutter 

 closed. 



"Good work!" I shouted to Ned. "I've got a pic- 

 ture, and we'll try for another." So I changed the 

 plate, set the shutter again, and this time walked off 

 noisily beyond the log and to one side of it. Then I 

 dropped to the ground and crept silently to it on my 

 hands and knees. The hawk did not see or hear me. 

 She was silent, after a few moments, and seemed to go 

 off somewhere. But in a quarter of an hour I suddenly 

 saw a shadow and something glided swiftly through 

 the woods, and almost immediately she was on the 

 nest. This time I let her settle down to incubate before 

 I pulled, and I "got" her sidewise, a fine clear picture. 



The hawk was becoming accustomed to my ap- 

 proaches, and, anyhow, Broad-wings are the tamest of 

 the hawks. As I changed the plate I called to Ned, 

 for he was anxious to be in the game, and I thought 

 that our robber friend would now give us permission. 

 We both hid, and this time she thought the coast was 

 clear and soon came back. She flew straight toward 

 the nest and seemed to go to it, yet absolutely disap- 

 peared. 



"Where is she?" whispered Ned excitedly. "I can't 

 see her at all." "I think," I hurriedly answered, "that 

 she is close to the nest behind that big branch. Anyhow 

 I'm going to try it." So I pulled the thread and the 

 hawk flew from just where I thought. What luck 

 that I pulled then! This picture was a wonder. The 



42 



