HAMMOCK NIGHTS 223 



and so inevitably. But from hidden places and 

 cool shadows come broken sounds and whisper- 

 ings, which cover the gamut from insects to 

 mammals and unite to make a drowsy and con- 

 tented murmuring — a musical undertone of 

 amity and goodw^ill. For pursuit and killing 

 are at the lowest ebb, the stifling heat being the 

 flag of truce in the world-wide struggle for life 

 and food and mate — a struggle which halts for 

 naught else, day or night. 



Lying quietly, the confidence of every uncon- 

 ventional and adventurous wanderer will in- 

 clude your couch, since courage is a natural vir- 

 tue when the spirit of friendliness is abroad in 

 the land. I felt that I had acquired merit that 

 eventful day when a pair of hummingbirds — 

 thimblefuls of fluff with flaming breastplates and 

 caps of gold — looked upon me with such favor 

 that they made the strands of my hamaca their 

 boudoir. I was not conscious of their designs 

 upon me until I saw them whirring toward me, 

 two bright, swiftly moving atoms, glowing like 

 tiny meteors, humming like a very battalion of 

 bees. They betook themselves to two chosen 

 cords and, close together, settled themselves with 

 no further demands upon existence. A hundred 



