TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS. 391 



skies, such a slio\Yer as we have never seen elsewhere than 

 in Florida and on the Isthmus of Panama — genuine trop- 

 ical showers, solid sheets of rain that pelt and drench and 

 blind the unlucky wight who is caught out in them with- 

 out protection. 



In the very midst of the down-pour we heard the pitiful 

 cry of a little chick, one that had evidently strayed outside 

 the fence, and was not only in imminent danger of being 

 drowned or chilled to death by the rain, but also of being 

 caught by one of a " bunch" of razor-backs that had been 

 seen close by just before the shower. 



We could not turn a deaf ear to that pitiful appeal for 

 help, even though it was uttered only by a little chick, so 

 we donned water-proof, rubber-cap, and rubber-shoes, and 

 boldly went forth to the rescue, battling with wind and 

 rain, and almost losing our breath in the struggle. 



We followed the sound of that mournful '' cheep, cheep, 

 chee-eep," as best we could across a belt of sand-spur grass, 

 across another of rough, plowed ground, and along the 

 fence in the high grass, full of pity for the unhappy little 

 wretch crying alone in the storm, wet, and frightened, and 

 miserable as it must be. 



The sad ''cheep, cheep, chee-eep!" never faltered nor 

 ceased, as we made our way toward it, and at last our per- 

 severance, our errand of mercy, was rewarded — we found 

 the poor little w^aif. 



It was not crouching in the grass as we expected, far 

 from it ; the unhappy chicken was perched on a fence-post, 

 and it was the queerest looking chick that w^e ever saw ! 

 It had four legs, and it had pulled out or the wind had 

 blown away all its feathers, if ever it had any, which Ave 

 very much doubt, and was dressed in a smooth coat of 

 bright green. 



And there it sat on the fence-post, utterly regardless of 



