Killooleet, Little Sweet -Voice. 33 



of water under the bow, or the grating of pebbles on 

 the beach ; and with Simmo asleep, and the fire low, 

 it was good to be welcomed back by a cheery little 

 voice in the darkness ; for he always sang when he 

 heard me. Sometimes I would try to surprise him ; 

 but his sleep was too light and his ears too keen. 

 The canoe would glide up to the old cedar and touch 

 the shore noiselessly; but with the first crunch of 

 gravel under my foot, or the rub of my canoe as I 

 lifted it out, he would waken ; and his song, all sweet- 

 ness and cheer, / ^m here, sweet Killooleet-lillooleet- 

 lillooleet, would ripple out of the dark underbrush 

 where his nest was. 



I am glad now to think that I never saw that nest, 

 though it was scarcely ten yards from my tent, until 

 after the young had flown, and Killooleet cared no 

 more about it. I knew the bush in which it was, 

 close by the deer path ; could pick out from my fire- 

 place the thick branch that sheltered it ; for I often 

 watched the birds coming and going. I have no 

 doubt that Killooleet would have welcomed me there 

 without fear; but his mate never laid aside her shy- 

 ness about it, never went to it directly when I was 

 looking, and I knew he would like me better if I 

 respected her little secret. 



Soon, from the mate's infrequent visits, and from 



