APRIL SHOWERS 



ear, for the other immediately flew at him 

 in a rage. The two tore about among the 

 trees, hurling bad words at one another. 

 It was distinct profanity. They towered 

 high in air and dove perilously one after 

 the other back into the woods again, 

 screaming reckless oaths. Now and then 

 they came together, and one or the other 

 yelled with pain. It lasted but a few min- 

 utes, but it was a very hot scrimmage. 

 Then one of them evidently had enough, 

 and abandoned the fight, taking refuge in 

 a thick fir very near me. No one of the 

 three minded my presence. 



The victor went back to his lady love 

 on mincing wings, and though I could not 

 see them I knew that he was received with 

 open favor, for the cooing of cawing that 

 followed was positively uncanny. As a 

 reckless freebooter, a wise and jovial 



latter-day Robin Hood of the woods, I like 

 171 



