The Sandpipers 53 



and down in rhythmical greeting to the water 

 that swirled around him, and piping his musical 

 message to the wife sitting on her eggs near at 

 hand. 



One day when he was thus occupied, before 

 making a fresh search for food for her, an 

 answering pipe from the nest called him to her 

 side. He guessed what it was, for hatching time 

 was close at hand. When he reached the nest, 

 he found that inside the first egg that had been 

 laid a tiny echo of his own clear pipe was to 

 be heard. Whether you or I could have heard 

 it I cannot say ; but to the keen ears of the 

 parents it was audible enough, and made their 

 hearts glow with the most delightful visions of 

 the future. And this hidden chick was wonder- 

 fully lively and talkative, more so than any chick 

 of theirs had been before he came out into the 

 world. It was quite unusual for a Sandpiper, 

 and both the parents looked a little serious. Nor 

 was their anxiety allayed when the egg-shell 

 broke, and a little black eye peered out full of 

 life and mischief. 



Then out came a head and neck, and then a 



