148 ON THE EDGE OF THE WILDERNESS 
doubtlessly did), Jim and Jim scurried for cover 
under the grape-vines. At the same instant, out 
of the shadow of the woods swept a marsh hawk, 
hovered a second, and dove for the hurrying pair. 
But he didn’t get to them. Quick as he, Jim 
dove, too. He dove straight at the hawk, from 
above, and landed a vicious peck on his head. 
The hawk banked quickly, and swung around and 
up to meet his attacker, but Jim kept above him, 
and landed another jab. The hawk saw that his 
prey were under cover now, and lost. Pretend- 
ing, with much dignity, to ignore Jim’s existence, 
he flew rapidly away, the smaller bird, with loud 
caws, following him for three hundred yards or 
more. Then Jim resumed his vigil in the tree top. 
It was some hours later that he cawed again, and 
once more the shadow swooped, and once more 
Jim dove to the rescue. 
That night, for the first time, Jim did not sleep 
on the top rung of the ladder, under the eaves, 
with his brother and sister. He perched on the 
ridgepole of the house, where he could command 
the whole horizon! 
The big man pointed this out to his son. 
