42 SEEKING THE SANDHILL CRANE 



lake beneath. Again and again they passed over 

 the island where I lay hidden, lowering in their 

 flight, but not low enough — they were very wary ; 

 provokingly suspicious. 



At last, as one of the great birds came sailing 

 straight toward me, I thought it within long 

 range and took my chance — Both shots rattled 

 on the great bird, but alas ! it but faltered in its 

 flight for an instant, and passed rapidly away 

 from my discomfited sight. 



I felt all was over now — the great chance irre- 

 vocably lost ; but hoping against reason, I waited 

 on until dark. 



Neither bird returned, and sadly I put off for 

 shore when Joe came for me. 



We left the nest and eggs untouched on the 

 island, deciding to sleep the night on the lake 

 shore and visit the island again in the morning 

 in the forlorn hope that the cranes would in the 

 meantime return. 



We spent a comfortless night, cold — since we 

 had no blankets — and tormented by mosquitoes. 



Next morning we were early on the lake, and 

 moved quietly toward the island, while no cranes 

 were seen or heard, foreboding ill for our enter- 

 prise. But we were not prepared for the cul- 

 minating disappointment that awaited us at 

 the island — when we came to the crane's nest it 

 was empty ! — the eggs had gone ! Where ? We 

 could not tell ; we could only surmise that rats, 

 crows, or the cranes themselves had destroyed 

 them or carried them off. 



It was all a terrible disappointment. Great 

 hopes sustained until the final hour ; then nothing 



