The Sandpipers 69 



And they listened to the melancholy wail of 

 the great bird, but felt no fear of him, for the 

 parent birds showed none. But the old ones 

 knew the meaning of that sad music, and thought 

 of the weary waste of sea over which they would 

 soon have to pass, and the sudden squall at 

 night, and the loss of old friends and comrades. 



Before the morning was out the storm began 

 in earnest, and the chicks, after enjoying the 

 first soothing rain for a while, were hustled 

 under the shelter of the big rock, and crept into 

 a hole to leeward. The eldest of course was 

 the last to go in ; for as a sudden strong gust 

 swept past him, he opened his growing wings, 

 and to his great delight found himself carried 

 off his legs and almost flying. But the watchful 

 father had seen him, and in a moment was ahead 

 of him, just as he was being carried out upon 

 the stream. 



" Back into the hole ! " he called with real 

 anger; "look at the river! Even if you could 

 use those wings as you think you can, it would 

 be unsafe for you in wind and flood." And the 

 little bird looked at the water, and saw that it 



