A Fishing Party 



bluish color. The bend of each wing and the 

 feathered parts of his legs were a rusty-red. The 

 remainder of his legs and his feet were black. 

 Hanging down over his breast were beautiful long 

 pearly-gray feathers quite unlike any Peter had 

 seen on any of his other feathered friends. In 

 spite of the length of his legs and the length of his 

 neck he was both graceful and handsome. 



"I wonder what has brought him over to the 

 Smiling Pool," thought Peter. 



He didn't have to wait long to find out. After 

 standing perfectly still with his neck stretched 

 to its full height until he was sure that no danger 

 was near, Longlegs waded into the water a few 

 steps, folded his neck back on his shoulders until 

 his long bill seemed to rest on his breast, and then 

 remained as motionless as if there were no life 

 in him. Peter also sat perfectly still. By and 

 by he began to wonder if Longlegs had gone to 

 sleep. His own patience was reaching an end 

 and he was just about to go on in search of Rattles 

 the Kingfisher when like a flash the dagger-like 

 bill of Longlegs shot out and down into the water. 

 When he withdrew it Peter saw that Longlegs 

 had caught a little fish which he at once proceeded 

 to swallow head-first. Peter almost laughed right 

 out as he watched the funny efforts of Longlegs 

 to gulp that fish down his long throat. Then 

 [153] 



