Cloud Wings the Ragle. 97 



eyes flashing, as if he would say, " Behold, a king ! " to 

 Chigwooltz the frog, and Tookhees the wood mouse, 

 and to any other chance wild creature that might 

 watch him from the underbrush at his unkingly act 

 of feeding on dead fish. Then he hopped down 

 rather awkwardly, it must be confessed; for he is a 

 creature of the upper deeps, who cannot bear to touch 

 the earth seized a fish, which he tore to pieces with 

 his claws and ate greedily. Twice I tried to shoot 

 him ; but the thought of the wilderness without him 

 was upon me, and held me back. Then, too, it seemed 

 so mean to pot him from ambush when he had come 

 down to earth, where he was at a disadvantage ; and 

 when he clutched some of the larger fish in his talons, 

 and rose swiftly and bore away westward, all desire to 

 kill him was gone. There were little Cloud Wings, it 

 seemed, which I must also find and watch. After 

 that I hunted him more diligently than before, but 

 without my gun. And a curious desire, which I 

 could not account for, took possession of me: to 

 touch this untamed, untouched creature of the clouds 

 and mountains. 



Next day I did it. There were thick bushes grow- 

 ing along one end of the old log on which the eagle 

 rested. Into these I cut a tunnel with my hunting- 

 knife, arranging the tops in such a way as to screen 



