Company and Solitude 105 



as winter, till they were gone, miles down 

 the river ; and then what a chatter the crows 

 set up ! You might have thought they had 

 driven the eagles off and were crowing over 

 their viftory." 



This is such knowledge as I am ever ready 

 to receive. I am always on the lookout for 

 eagles, and my friend has been more fortu- 

 nate than I. His wealth he is ready to di- 

 vide, seeing it does not diminish by so doing. 

 I am the gainer, yet he is not a loser. Such 

 meetings make me thankful I am not alone in 

 the world. But what had I to offer as an 

 equivalent ? He had given me also of his 

 time, which I knew was held at its full value 

 by him, and was I to receive this as a gift ? 

 I was humbled by the thought that I had not 

 power to make adequate return, and would 

 at least have admitted as much ; but my friend 

 could read me as he did the wild world about 

 him, and said, as he turned to leave me, " You 

 are glad to know that I have seen eagles to- 

 day, and I am glad to be able to tell you." 



His recompense was the knowledge of 

 having been of use to another. I had not 

 thought of that. Such people have no time 

 to call ; for them, there are no moments to 



