Old White Wing 287 



White Wing rose high in the air and gave a warning 

 caw. The others at first obeyed and scattered, but 

 the temptation was too great, and in a short time a 

 dozen crows were feeding. Others followed, and soon 

 Old White Wing himself was among them, his sense 

 of danger being, for the moment, overpowered by 

 the pangs of hunger. 



Two sharp reports and the air was full of shot! A 

 third and fourth followed for those birds which had 

 taken wing. Then all grew still. 



The little side door of the barn opened and two 

 men appeared. There was a look of satisfaction on 

 their faces as they gloated over the fifteen birds killed 

 and wounded. Some of the latter had broken wings 

 and legs, and were going off over the snow in different 

 directions, even in this hour of peril obeying the teach- 

 ings of their great leader and making a last heroic 

 struggle for their lives. They were soon overtaken, 

 however, and a blow on the head from a stick ended 

 their efforts. 



Among the wounded was Old White Wing. With 

 renewed energy he attempted to escape, but, alas! 

 the one who had saved so many lives was now power- 

 less to save his own. A well directed blow left with- 

 out a leader the flock he had guarded and cared for 

 so long. 



