My Boyhood and Youth 



view, which perhaps recalled to his mind the 

 plundering minks and muskrats he had to fight 

 when they approached his nest, prepared to 

 defend himself by slowly, almost imperceptibly 

 drawing back his long pickaxe bill, and without 

 the slightest fuss or stir held it level and ready 

 just over his tail. With that dangerous bill 

 drawn so far back out of the way, Tom's con- 

 fidence in the stranger's peaceful intentions 

 seemed almost complete, and, thus encouraged, 

 he at last ventured forward with wondering, 

 questioning eyes and quivering nostrils until 

 he was only eighteen or twenty inches from the 

 loon's smooth white breast. When the beautiful 

 bird, apparently as peaceful and inoffensive as 

 a flower, saw that his hairy yellow enemy had 

 arrived at the right distance, the loon, who evi- 

 dently was a fine judge of the reach of his spear, 

 shot it forward quick as a lightning-flash, in 

 marvelous contrast to the wonderful slowness 

 of the preparatory poising, backward motion. 

 The aim was true to a hair-breadth. Tom was 

 struck right in the centre of his forehead, be- 

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