hand, and had disengaged the hook. He was 

 not hurt at all, but terribly frightened ; so I 

 held him a little while, enjoying the excitement 7(osAomenos 

 of the others, whom the captive's rattle kept ^c^^Oufcasf 

 circling wildly about the canoe. It was note- 

 worthy that not another bird heeded the cry 

 or came near. Even in distress they refused 

 to recognize the outcast. Then, as Kos- 

 komenos hovered on quivering wings just 

 over my head, I tossed the captive close up 

 beside him. " There, Koskomenos, take your 

 young chuckle-head, and teach him better 

 wisdom. Next time you see me stalking a 

 bear, please go on with your fishing." 



But there was no note of gratitude in the 

 noisy babel that swept up the bay after the 

 kingfishers. When I saw them again, they 

 were sitting on a dead branch, five of them 

 in a row, chuckling and clattering all at once, 

 unmindful of the minnows that played be- 

 neath them. I have no doubt that, in their 

 own way, they were telling each other all 

 about it. 



