YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIES 



often seen them. " Black and white," he added, 

 "with yellow bills ; very noisy." 



" Good for you ! " I thought. "You 're the very 

 man I 've been looking for." Indeed, I not only 

 thought so, but said so ; and he proceeded to give 

 me as definite instructions as might be concern- 

 ing the road, though they sounded none too clear, 

 I must confess. 



I was to drive about twenty miles from Monte- 

 rey, keeping to such-and-such a course, till I came 

 to a certain man's ranch. There, or near there, 

 I should find a creek. At the creek, the name of 

 which I do not print because — for one reason — 

 I have found nobody who can tell me how to 

 spell it, I was to take to my legs, turning to the 

 left and following the canon. There I should find 

 the magpies. I could n't miss them. At least, my 

 informant had never been there without seeing 

 some. 



Several days passed. I made inquiries at a 

 livery-stable, but received no great encourage- 

 ment. The place was a long way off, much far- 

 ther than my young man had put it. (Livery- 

 keepers' miles are apt to be many.) They would 

 send me out, if I said so ; but it would be a hard 

 day's trip, and they appeared to have no driver 

 who knew anything in particular about the route. 

 Meanwhile, I was having royal luck with a set of 

 123 



