The Mother Teal and the Overland Route 



Kingbird, and that fearless little warrior 

 screamed out his battle-cry as he launched in 

 air to give chase. Away went the pirate, and 

 away went the King, the one huge, heavy, and 

 cowardly, the other small, swift, and fearless 

 as a hero, away and away, out of sight, the 

 Kingbird gaining at every stroke, till his voice 



^'y was lost in the distance. 



The sorrow of the Mother Greenwing, if less 

 deep than that of the human mother, was yet 

 very real. But she had now the nine to guard. 

 They needed her every thought. She led them 

 as quickly as possible into the bushes, and for 

 a time they breathed more freely. 



Thenceforth she managed to have the journey 

 lie through the cover. An hour or more passed 

 by in slight alarms and in many rests, and the 

 pond was very near ; and well it was, for the 

 Ducklings were almost worn out, their little 

 paddles were scratched and bleeding, and their 

 strength was all but gone. For a time they 

 gasped under shadow of the last tall bush be- 

 fore again setting out in a compact flock to cross 

 the next bare place, a rough opening through 

 the poplars. 



202 



