The Sandpipers 55 



the grass, and suddenly jumped upon him. His 

 mother heard his cries, and flew piping loudly to 

 the spot ; but it was too late, and she had to 

 watch the cruel stoat bite off his head and suck 

 his blood. Another made off towards the water 

 and was crushed under foot by an angler who was 

 backing from the river to land a fish, and never 

 even knew what he had done. Another fell into 

 a deep hole at nightfall and could not get out 

 again, and was found starved and dead when 

 morning came. 



After each of these stories the little bird shud- 

 dered and crouched under his mother's wing 

 again : but the mastering desire to see the world 

 always came back upon him, and great was the 

 relief of the parents when the other eggs were 

 hatched and education could begin. Then the 

 nest was soon abandoned, and the little creatures 

 trotted about with their mother ; for they are not 

 like the ugly nestlings that lie helpless and 

 featherless in their nests for days and days, as 

 human babies lie in their cradles for months. 

 Life, and manners, and strength, and beauty, 

 come almost at once on the young Sandpipers, 



