THE ROBBERS OF THE FALLS 



bought, and I felt anxious. What do you think it did? 

 The strongest instinct asserted itself, even in the hour 

 of trial. The horse was even hungrier than I. Graz- 

 ing, as I live! We men looked at one another and 

 laughed. 



Then I hurried to take further account of stock. 

 The camera was unbroken; the precious plates were 

 sound, and produced two good pictures after all. We 

 pushed the spokes back into the hub and in a quarter 

 of an hour I was driving home as though nothing had 

 happened, slowly though, for the wheels might break 

 down again, and actually, the horse for the next week 

 seemed afraid to "step lively," evidently fearing lest it 

 should again fall down! 



When I met Ned and told him the story, the first 

 question he asked was "Did you photograph the 

 wreck?" Well, I never! What a brilliant idea and 

 what a stupid omission to be so concerned about a 

 horse as to overlook this wonderful opportunity. I 

 almost wanted to go back and try it over again. But 

 it was not to be. "Next time, Ned," I replied regret- 

 fully, "such a bright boy as you must surely be along 

 when anything interesting happens." "You can count 

 on me, if I know it," he said. 



The young hawks hatched in due time, one only in 

 the great falls nest, but both in the other. The evening 

 before Ned's birthday, the second of June, as we 

 climbed to the latter, we could hear a "cheep, cheep," 

 as from under a mother hen. What was our surprise 



46 



