THE HAWK PASSED ON 223 



good " grit," and as far as I could see them 

 with my glass, the three were traveling in 

 company, two rising high and swooping down, 

 filling the summer air with their clamors, 

 while the third, silent as fate, and as re- 

 sistless, passed on whither he would with- 

 out hindrance. 



Now I passed on and settled myself to 

 wait for the mysterious bird. Everything 

 became quiet around me it seemed as if 

 everybody had gone to bed, for 



" Precious qualities of silence haunt 

 Round these vast margins ministrant." 



A long time I waited, crouched beside 

 my haycock, and confidently fancying myself 

 unseen, but my bird did not come. He had 

 sharper eyes than I had given him credit for, 

 and he had swerved one side and passed over 

 far to my left. 



I was not, however, doomed to disappoint- 

 ment. I solved the mystery a day or two 

 later, when I chanced to turn my glass on the 

 marsh about noon : my eyes fell at once on 

 the bird or his double who was evi- 

 dently perfectly at home there. Whether he 

 had changed his habits, or, what was more 



