The Sandpipers 65 



and doing so, he again caught the angler's eye. 

 And he had to be pulled out of his hiding-place 

 Nvith rather more force than he liked. The 

 angler put him into his friend's hands, and for 

 a moment the audacious chick was frightened. 

 But he was soon down in his cover again safe 

 and sound ; and then the rest were found and 

 admired, and the big creatures turned to go 

 away. 



" Wait a minute, though," said the angler, 

 pausing; "let us sit down a bit and see what 

 they will do. My dears," (addressing the old 

 birds,) "you must put up with a little more 

 anxiety, and then you shall be happy for ever 

 afterwards, if you can." So the two human 

 beings sat down on the stones and watched, 

 while the old birds flew round piping, perching 

 here and there and bowing, and giving them such 

 pictures of grace and beauty as they were not 

 likely soon to see again. And neither of them 

 can ever forget the charm of that quarter of an 

 hour ; the music of the river, the fragrance of 

 the scented fern, the outlines of the rocky hills 

 against the sky, and the gentle grace of the pair 



F 



