38 



me 



f5ag/e 



still as fate and as sure, now dropping to 

 flap a wing in Ismaquehs' face, now touch- 

 Cloud-llf/nds ing him gently with his great talons, as if 

 " ~ " to say, "Do you feel that, Ismaquehs? If I 

 grip once 't will be the end of you and your 

 fish together. And what will the little ones 

 do then, up in the nest on the old pine? 

 Better drop him peacefully; you can catch 

 another. — Drop him ! I say." 



Up to that moment the eagle had merely 

 bothered the big hawk's flight, with a gentle 

 reminder now and then that he meant no 

 harm, but wanted the fish which he could 

 not catch himself. Now there was a change, 

 a flash of the king's temper. With a roar 

 of wings he whirled round the hawk like 

 a tempest, bringing up short and fierce, 

 squarely in his line of flight. There he 

 poised on dark broad wings, his yellow eyes 

 glaring fiercely into the shrinking soul of 

 Ismaquehs, his talons drawn back for a 

 deadly strike. And Simmo the Indian, who 

 had run down to join me, muttered: "Chep- 

 lahgan mad now. Ismaquehs find-um out 

 in a minute." 



