Drifting 185 



mon. I hope that it does not mean that you 

 have but one suit of clothes. 



The approaching rain, the increasing 

 cloudiness, the shut-in appearance, made the 

 river exceedingly attractive. With the down- 

 dropping clouds dropped down the birds, 

 and the swallows now skimmed the water as 

 they had been skimming the sky. The fish- 

 hawks departed, but a host of land-birds 

 crossed the stream, as if comparing the shelter 

 afforded by the cedars on one side and pines 

 on the other. These birds chattered as they 

 flew by, and turned their heads up- and down- 

 stream, as if curious as to all that might be 

 going on. Suddenly the water ceased to be 

 rippled, and far down-stream a cloud appeared 

 to have reached the river. It was the rain. 

 It seemed to march very slowly, and every 

 drop made a dimple on the river's breast. 

 Then I could hear the on-coming host, the 

 sound having a distinft bell-like tinkle as each 

 drop touched the surface and disappeared. 

 A curious effeft, too, was produced by the 

 wind or the varying density of the cloud 

 above, in that the drops were very near to- 

 gether where I happened to be, and much 

 farther apart and larger some distance beyond 

 1 6* 



