Introducing Something New 



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flvvyes* 



ping through the trees after a shower, or the gentle purring 

 of water over stream riffles, or the sharp break of waves on 

 a gravelly beach, or the light splashing of children as they 

 built play houses, but a strange sort of intermittent action, 

 now light and quiet, then heavier and accompanied by de- 

 cisive sweeps which stirred the surface and put small areas 

 into quick swirling passage similar to that caused by a 

 strongly propelled paddle. The disturbances came not only 

 from the center of the baylet but from the margins where 

 the bulrushes pushed out into the water. If I looked in any 

 direction and waited a moment I could see rushes put in 

 motion by heavy objects which passed and stirred the soft 

 ooze of the bottom into muddy whirls. Now and then a 

 muffled blow struck the canoe and jolted it as if a small log 

 had been hit. Wavelets, splashes, and water rings appeared 



