The Sandpipers 77 



trout. Then they wound up the line, and 

 sure enough there came ashore at the end of 

 it, a draggled, exhausted, and almost lifeless 

 Sandpiper. 



To be carried in a human pocket is not 

 pleasant for a bird, but our young scapegrace 

 was too far gone to trouble himself about it. 

 At his birthplace he was taken out, and there 

 the angler stayed with him, sending his com- 

 panion home to change. It was getting dark 

 fast, but the old birds were still flying wildly 

 up and down the river, piping loudly in a forlorn 

 hope of finding their young one ere night 

 should wrap the river in darkness. The angler 

 put him down near the water and waited at a 

 little distance. 



Ere long his wits came back to him, as the well- 

 known notes told him that he was indeed again 

 near home. And weak as he was, he found 

 strength to send out over the river his own 

 little feeble pipe. In a moment his mother 

 was by his side. 



The angler watched them for a moment, and 

 then left them to tell his friend of the good 



