150 Wilderness Ways. 



And then began the first lessons in swimming and 

 hiding and diving, which I had waited so long to see. 



Later I saw her bring little fish, which she had 

 slightly wounded, turn them loose in shallow water, 

 and with a sharp cluck bring the young loons out of 

 their hiding, to set them chasing and diving wildly for 

 their own dinners. But before that happened there 

 was almost a tragedy. 



One day, while the mother was gone fishing, the 

 little ones came out of their hiding among the grasses, 

 and ventured out some distance into the bay. It was 

 their first journey alone into the world ; they were full 

 of the wonder and importance of it. Suddenly, as I 

 watched, they began to dart about wildly, moving 

 with astonishing rapidity for such little fellows, and 

 whistling loudly. From the bank above, a swift ripple 

 had cut out into the water between them and the only 

 bit of bog with which they were familiar. Just behind 

 the ripple were the sharp nose and the beady eyes of 

 Musquash, who is always in some mischief of this 

 kind. In one of his prowlings he had discovered the 

 little brood; now he was maneuvering craftily to 

 keep the frightened youngsters moving till they 

 should be tired out, while he himself crept care- 

 fully between them and the shore. 



Musquash knows well that when a young loon, or a 



