THE FISHING-EAGLE. 49 



upon whenever they get them within reach of their 

 guns, he imagined that he was only performing an 

 act of justice in taking a shot at Mr. Marvin's bird. 



Reid, Sandy Hair, and I lost no time in getting 

 to the bank and running to the hut of the wretch 

 whose fatal skill had played us such a trick, all 

 charitably intending to give him such a lesson that 

 he would not be likely to repeat his exploit ; but the 

 fellow was a genuine Yankee, and his imperturbable 

 coolness and the reasonableness of his answers (given 

 with the nasal twang peculiar to his race) completely 

 disarmed us. 



" Wall ! Heow w as I tu know that the bird was 

 a genewine sportsman, — a bird fit to be fed on larks, 

 and not a darned thief only fit to be stuff"ed ? Mr. 

 Marvin^s osprey, was it ? Wall ! I^m very sorry, 

 but what ken I du? I ken only git another, and I 

 ra'aly think that won't be very difficult. Other day 

 I saw a nest of 'em in a rock at the end of the lake, 

 and there's probably eggs, if not young 'uns. The 

 old birds air finer than Jonathan. It's a great pity 

 — but what ken be done ? I'll look at the nest, and 

 when the birds are strong, I'll shoot the old birds 

 and take the young 'uns and send 'em to Mr. 

 Marvin. I hope he'll excuse me — but what cud 

 Idu?" 



We had nothing for it but to be satisfied with his 

 excuses, but the great difficulty with Reid and my- 

 self was how to break the news to Mr. Marvin so as 



