64 More Tales of the Birds 



his great eye : it was like the salmon's, only 

 pleasanter." 



" Holes and corners, quick, quick, quick, wheet, 

 whee-et," cried both parents again in dismay at 

 the folly of their eldest ; and all four crept up the 

 shaly ledge and hid themselves under tufts of 

 grass and bits of stick. It was none too soon, 

 for the footsteps were now heard again, and the 

 creaking of a gate as the angler got over it. 

 And this time he was not alone ; another human 

 creature was with him. They came up to the 

 spot, glanced at the frightened parents with 

 admiration, and then looked for the young 

 ones. 



"Well, this is provoking," said the one who 

 had been there before ; "if they haven't gone 

 and hid themselves away ! Here have I dragged 

 you from your comfortable pipe for nothing at 

 all ! They're not far off, though, or the old birds 

 would not be here." And stooping down, he 

 examined the ground carefully. 



At that moment that perverse eldest chick, 

 conscious that his right leg was sticking out into 

 the sunshine, instinctively drew it in under him, 



