212 HILLS AND LAKES. 



the dog made at it, and struck its long sharp bill into 

 his neck in a way that made him howl. Nero turned 

 to put out for the shore, and the loon gave him an- 

 other stab in the ham, that sent him ahead crying ki I 

 hi ! at every pull. The poor dog came out of the 

 water with two great wounds, and bleeding like a 

 stuck pig, very much to the amazement and wonder 

 of his master. After that Nero took two looks at the 

 birds his master sent him into the water after, before 

 he ventured near them. Now, Shack there, would 

 have declined that job. He knows what the long 

 sharp bill of a loon means, though how he got his 

 larnin' on that subject I can't tell. I know he never 

 was wounded by one in his life. But it's of his 

 knowin' ways, and may be, he has studied it out by 

 seein' the loons I've shot afore now, and may be he's 

 got hold of the truth by hearin' me tell about the 

 trick that bird played on the gentleman's water-dog. 



" The loon, Squire, is a curious bird. You hardly 

 ever see two together sociable like, though there may 

 be more than that number, in one of these little lakes 

 at once. But they're always a great ways apart, and 

 never seem to have anything in particular to say to 

 one another. I never saw a young loon in my life. 



