'BY STREAM AND RIVER' 



169 



three stems went, and the remaining reed bowed 

 its tall head beneath the weight of the nest and its 

 young brood, and then one cut of my sharp teeth 

 brought the whole thing down to the ground. 

 ' When the bough breaks the cradle will fall !' I 

 shouted, as I saw four young innocents at my 

 mercy ; and small enough mercy it was, though I 

 ate them quick. But as I look back upon the 

 deed I cannot help feeling that the provocation 

 was insufficient, and that I might well have passed 

 on my way and spared. 



I passed on my way, at any rate, and retribution 

 nearly overtook me in the form of a small boy and 

 a white terrier dog — a breed which I have small 

 cause to love. The latter dislodged me from the 

 bank where I was resting, and pursued me right 

 into the stream, while the latter yelled, ' Good 

 dawg I fetch him out 1' Luckily, I leave very little 

 scent in the water, but after diving under my 

 pursuer two or three times I became so exhausted 

 that I could do little more than drift downstream. 

 The stream, however, took me towards the further 

 bank, the dog was a bit of a fool, the boy lacked 

 the pluck to wade across and direct operations, so 

 I made good my escape into an osier-bed, and 

 much pleased I was to hear the dog get soundly 



