HAWK AND WEASEL. 73 



and so enthusiastically did he set to work, that in an hour's 

 time he had got eight large eels. 



They now went on board to make their fourth meal that 

 day, it being then half-past four o'clock. Afterwards they all 

 wrote their letters home. 



The next morning about nine o'clock they hoisted sail, and 

 started, intending to reach Yarmouth that day. A strong 

 breeze, almost amounting to a gale, blew from the west, and 

 they were obliged to take in reefs in both the main-sail and 

 the mizen, and then they spun along at a very good rate, the 

 water foaming at their bows and surging in their wake. 

 Above them and to the eastward the sky was blue and with- 

 out a cloud, but in the west a huge black cloud was slowly 

 rising. Against its gloom, the sunlit marsh, the windmills, 

 and the white sails of the yachts stood out brilliantly clear, 

 and a number of gulls which were flying over the marsh 

 shone out dazzlingly white against it. 



a What bird is that ? It is a hawk no doubt, but it looks 

 so blue in this light," said Jimmy, pointing over the marsh 

 to where a large hawk was flying in circles uttering screams, 

 and every now and then swooping to the ground. 



Frank got out his glass and took a long look at it. 



" It must be a hen-harrier," he said. " I can see it quite 

 clearly. It seems to be very angry with something on the 

 ground. Run the yacht up in the wind, Jimmy, and let us 

 watch it." 



"There is another harrier flying to join it as swift as the 

 wind. It is larger and browner, and must be the female," 

 said Frank, describing their movements as he saw them through 

 the glass. 



The second comer swooped down to the ground and rose 

 with some long struggling object in its talons which seemed 

 to be a weasel or stoat. Frank then through his glass dis- 

 tinctly saw the weasel seize the hawk by the throat, and the 

 hawk, screaming wildly, rose high into the air " towering," as 

 a sportsman would say until it was almost a speck, and its 

 mate accompanied it, circling round it, and also uttering savage 

 screams. Then the hawk and weasel fell through the air, 

 turning over and over, and came plump upon the marsh. 

 The boys landed and went to the spot, while the other hawk 

 slowly circled far out of sight. On reaching the spot they 



