TOM AND THE MAN-OF-WAR. 173 



"We must all go, then," said his father, 

 laughing, and starting ahead. As the nearest 

 way to the east shore was through the brush, 

 they found an opening, and struck into it in 

 Indian file at a slower pace. The bushes were 

 low and thickly tangled, and it proved hard 

 work to push through. Hermit-crabs hung on 

 the branches, and the sand was so undermined 

 by land-crabs that the walking was uncertain. 



"Here's an opening," cried Dick, and with 

 much satisfaction they were just about to pass 

 through, when, with a great rustling, seven or 

 eight large flamingoes rose in air just before 

 them. Tom, with ever-ready gun, blazed away 

 at them, and brought one down ; it fell like a 

 rocket-stick on Dick's head. The great bird was 

 uninjured, except that its wing was broken, and 

 Dick found it no mean antagonist, receiving sev- 

 eral hard blows from its blunt bill before he 

 could grasp the snake-like neck. Finally, how- 

 ever, he secured the bird by the neck and legs, 

 and the party moved on to the beach. 



" Don't flamingoes build nests like mounds ? " 

 inquired Harry. 



