MY FIRST WATER-OUZELS 



had been possible, the thing might have been 

 easy; but the perpendicular walls shut me in, 

 and I could do nothing but follow the brook. 

 Then, with my glass focused upon the pool and 

 the cascade above it, I waited. No sight, no 

 sound. Hope was fading out, when a bird called. 

 My eye followed the sound ; and there, on the 

 face of the cliff, wet by the spray of the falling 

 water, stood the small, dusky creature that I had 

 spent so many hours in seeking. Up and down 

 he bobbed, wren fashion, on his light-colored 

 legs, at every motion uttering a note of com- 

 plaint ; and then he took wing, flew up the fall 

 and through the narrow opening above it, and 

 was gone. 



I lingered about the spot, keeping as much in 

 shadow as might be, — the opportunity being of 

 the poorest, — and even went back again and 

 again after quitting the place altogether, in hope 

 that the birds might have returned ; but they had 

 gone upstream for the day. It was too bad ! So 

 short a look after so long a hunt ! But, anyhow, 

 I had seen them. And who could tell .-' There 

 would be another day to-morrow, and possibly I 

 should then have better luck. So I munched my 

 crackers and chocolate, and started for the last 

 time downstream. 



All this while, I should have said, I had been 

 105 



