The Wild Geese of Wyndygoul 
flyers who rose and circled back when mother 
sounded the “retreat.” 
FATHER OR MOTHER 
So through the moon it went. The leaves were 
fallen now, when a strange and unexpected thing 
occurred. Making unusual effort to meet this 
most unusual case, good Mother Nature had pro- 
longed the feathers of the pinioned wing and held 
back those of the other side. It was slowly done, 
and the compensating balance not quite made till 
near October’s end. Then on a day, the hundredth 
time at least that week, the bugle sang, and all 
the marchers rose. Yes! mother, too, and bugling 
louder till the chorus was complete, they soared 
above the trees, and mother marshalled all her 
brood in one great arrow flock, so they sailed and 
clamoring sailed away, to be lost in the southward 
blue—and all in vain on the limpid lake behind the 
gander trumpeted in agony of soul, ““Come back! 
Come back!” His wings had failed him, and in 
the test, the young’s allegiance bound them to 
their mother and the seeking of the southern 
home. 
.~.__ All that winter on the ice the gander sat alone. 
ke On days a snow-time Hawk or some belated Crow 
would pass above, and the ever-watchful eye of 
218 
