62 More Tales of the Birds 



was there, and it was past midday when at last 

 he flew away. Then out they came again, and 

 were making their way with glad hearts down to 

 the water, when the warning " wheet-whee-et " 

 was heard very loud indeed. Down they all 

 went, in a row together, on the bit of shaly bank 

 where they were running at the moment. And 

 now they knew that there was indeed danger ; for 

 the old birds flew piping wildly up and down as 

 they had never yet heard them, and close by 

 they could hear some great creature trampling 

 about all around, and searching every bit of stone 

 and grass and bush. Once they felt its shadow 

 come over them, and could hear it breathing 

 within a yard or two of them. Then it went 

 away, letting the sun come on them again ; but 

 their parents kept up their wild piping, and they 

 knew that the danger was still there. Then 

 more searching and shuffling and routing, and 

 once more the shadow came upon them, and the 

 footsteps crunched the shale on which they lay. 

 And now, as ill-luck would have it, the eldest 

 opened one black eye and looked out of the corner 

 of it In another moment he felt himself seized 



