EARLY MORNING. 207 



on the sand. Then up and at it they would go again. 

 I marked the spot, and next day was along there again. 

 The fish had gone, but they had about made a clean 

 skeleton of the carcass. I never before saw so many of 

 'em together." 



" Why do you think plovers don't eat these darters 

 as well as the common minnows ? " I asked. 



" Simply because, when I've been ambushed on the 

 flats lookin' for teeters, I've seen lots of these little skip- 

 jacks caught in the puddles. Could see 'em skippin' out 

 of the water, and the little plovers would run right 

 among 'em and not notice 'em. Things like that, happen- 

 ing right under my nose, I can't help but notice. Some- 

 times the plovers would chase little fish ; sometimes they 

 wouldn't ; and I found the skip-jacks they let alone and 

 the littlemost minnows they gobbled up." 



" A good many people might see all this and never 

 know what it meant," I replied, and added, " I've seen 

 plovers often, and shot dozens of 'em, but this is all news 

 to me." 



" That's just accordin' to what I've told you more than 

 once. If you waited until you were as old as I am before 

 you printed anything about birds, you would then likely 

 tell a good many things nobody would believe like 

 enough be set down as crazy. I've never told you half 

 I've seen in my days, and do not mean to. You wouldn't 

 believe some things." 



"Indeed I will," I replied quickly; "I'd rather have 

 your opinion and knowledge than that of any one I 

 know." 



" All very well to say, boy, but you'd feel a little 

 doubtful about it if I gave you a full account of my 

 years of lookin' at things in natur'; anyhow, I won't 

 do it." 



14 



