FIELD-DAYS IN CALIFORNIA 



At that moment, however, he hailed a neigh- 

 bor passing along the sidewalk. " I say," he said, 

 *' do you know any place where this man could 

 see magpies ? Would n't he be likely to find 

 some down at Santa Margarita ? " The neighbor 

 thought it doubtful. He had n't known of any 

 there for some time. After further conference 

 they agreed that my best chance was over at So- 

 and-So's sheep-ranch, twenty-five or thirty miles 

 away. But, indeed, they concluded, there might 

 be some near the Sand Spring. 



"■ Very good," said I to myself, " I will try the 

 Sand Spring." The stage, Victor informed me, 

 left the town at seven o'clock, at which hour I 

 should be just sitting down to early breakfast. 

 All things considered, I would walk. Unlike a 

 good part of the visitors at Paso Robles, I was 

 not seriously rheumatic, and ten miles, for all 

 day, would hurt nobody. 



With a bite of luncheon in my pocket I started 

 out the next morning (February 22) at half past 

 seven, but the first man whom I asked to put me 

 on the Adelaide road proved to be the stage- 

 driver himself, just leaving the post-ofBce. He 

 was late, he explained — so many errands, and so 

 many waits. Lucky waits, thought I, as I mounted 

 the wagon ; and after a few more errands, includ- 

 ing the purchase of a sack of cabbages and a stop 

 112 



