First Flights — Narrow Escape. 31 



Would she be drowned after all? No! Just as 

 she was sinking she touched the stick with one 

 little claw, and held on as only drowning people 

 can ; and then she got another safely lodged, and 

 was able to rest for a moment. Oh, the relief of 

 that, after such a long and ceaseless struggle ! 



But even then it was very hard work to get up on 

 the stick, very hard indeed. However, Buz man- 

 aged it at last, and dragged herself quite out of the 

 cold, cruel water. 



By this time the breeze was blowing steadily over 

 the pond, and the stick would soon reach the bank ; 

 but Buz felt very miserable and cold, and her wings 

 clung tightly to her, and she looked dreadfully for- 

 lorn. 



The pond, too, was overshadowed by trees; so 

 there were no sunbeams to warm her. 



"Ah!" thought she, " if I can manage to drag 

 myself up into the sunshine, and rest and be well 

 warmed, I shall soon be better." 



Well, the bank was safely reached at last ; but 

 Buz, all through her life, never forgot what a busi- 

 ness it was climbing up the side. The long grasses 

 yielded to her weight, and bent almost straight 

 down, as if on purpose to make it as uphill work for 

 her as possible. And even when she reached the top 



