YOUNG HERONS IN TRAINING 123 



when it hurried from shelter on their approach. 

 Suddenly, however, they gained the trick of 

 success ; and henceforth, till the old heron led 

 them back to their forest home, they fished 

 assiduously in the shallows by the margin of the 

 lake. 



Often afterwards, when even the weakling 

 became so strong and expert that she would no 

 longer endure the slightest attempts at bullying 

 from the other members of the brood, Renoult, 

 in his rambles over the countryside, watched the 

 family at work or play. And when the hawking 

 season came again, the Earl, much to Renoult 's 

 delight, yielded to the intercession of his lady 

 and allowed the rights of sanctuary over the 

 creek, the brook, and the lower reaches of the 

 river, where the lad's wild pets remained for 

 long unmolested. 



