come, looking, looking everywhere. Round 

 the canoe she went at a safe distance, search- 

 ing among the grass and lily pads, calling 

 him softly to come out. But he was very 

 near the canoe, and very much frightened; 

 the only effect of her calls was to make him 

 crouch closer- against the grass stems, while 

 the bright little eyes, grown large with fear, 

 were fastened on me. 



Slowly I backed the canoe away till it was 

 out of sight, behind the point; though I 

 could still see the mother bird through the 

 bushes. She swam rapidly about where the 

 canoe had been, calling more loudly; but 

 the little fellow had lost confidence in her, 

 or was too frightened, and refused to show 

 himself. At last she discovered him and, 

 with quacks and flutters that looked to 

 me a bit hysteric, pulled him out of his 

 hiding place. How she fussed over him ! 

 How she hurried and helped and praised 

 and scolded him all the way over; and 

 fluttered on ahead, and clucked the brood 

 out of their hiding places to meet him ! 

 Then, with all her young about her, she 



21 I 



^waseekho 



