222 BIRDS IN TOWN AND VILLAGE 



head, came swiftly towards his face with wide-open 

 jaws ; and at this supreme moment, without re- 

 leasing his hold on its tail, with his free hand he 

 snatched off his large felt hat and thrust it down the 

 monster's throat, and so saved himself. 



Just as I am intently watching to see how my 

 hatless little Waterton will deal with his serpent, 

 a startling bark, following by a canine shriek, then 

 a yell, resound through the silent garden ; and over 

 the lawn rush those three demoniacal fox-terriers, 

 Snap, Puszy, and Babs, all determined to catch 

 something* Away fly the birds, and though now 

 high overhead, the baffled brutes continue wildly 

 careering about the grounds, vexing the air with 

 their frantic barkings. No more birds to-day ! But 

 now the peace-breakers have discovered me, and come 

 tearing across the lawn, and on to the half-way chair, 

 then to the hammock, scrambling over each other to 

 inflict their unwelcome caresses on my hands and 

 face. 



Ah well, let them have their way and do their 

 worst, since the birds are gone, and I shall go soon. 

 It is a consolation to think that they are not my 

 pets; that I shall not grieve, like their mistress, 

 when their brief barking period is over ; that I care 

 just so much and no more for them than for any 

 other living creature, not excepting the fer-de-lance, 

 4t quoiled in the path like rope in a ship/' or the 



