The Mother Teal and the Overland Route 



Harrier, Falcon, Hawk, Fox, Weasel, Coyote, 

 Gopher, Ground-squirrel, or Snake but would 

 count them his lawful prey. 



All this the mother felt instinctively, even if 

 she did not set it forth in clear expression ; and 

 as soon as the ten were warmed and lively she 

 led them into the grass. Such a scrambling 

 and peeping and tumbling about as they tried to 

 get through and over the grass-stalks that, like a 

 bamboo forest, barred their way ! Their mother 

 had to watch the ten with one eye and the whole 

 world with the other, for not a friend had she 

 or they outside of themselves. The countless 

 living things about were either foes or neutral. 



II 



After a long scramble through the grass they 

 climbed a bank and got among the poplar 

 scrub, and here sat down to rest. One little 

 fellow that had struggled along bravely with 

 the others was so weak that there seemed no 

 chance of his reaching that far-away Happy- 

 land, the pond. 



When they were rested, their mother gave a 

 199 



