WAYS OF NATURE 



Just opposite a farm lane which led up to a group 

 of farm buildings, and which did indeed look like 

 his home lane, he paused and seemed to be debating 

 with himself. Two women just then came along; 

 they lifted and flirted their skirts, for it was raining, 

 and this disturbed him again and decided him to 

 take to the farm lane. Up the lane he went, rather 

 doubtingly, I thought. 



In a few moments it brought him into a barn- 

 yard, where a group of hens caught his eye. Evi- 

 dently he was on good terms with hens at home, for 

 he made up to these eagerly as if to tell them his 

 troubles ; but the hens knew not ducks ; they with- 

 drew suspiciously, then assumed a threatening atti- 

 tude, till one old " dominie " put up her feathers 

 and charged upon him viciously. 



Again he tried to make up to them, quacking 

 softly, and again he was repulsed. Then the cattle 

 in the yard spied this strange creature and came 

 sniffing toward it, full of curiosity. 



The drake quickly concluded he had got into the 

 wrong place, and turned his face southward again. 

 Through the fence he went into a plowed field. Pre- 

 sently another stone fence crossed his path; along 

 this he again turned toward the highway. In a few 

 minutes he found himself in a corner formed by the 

 meeting of two stone fences. Then he turned ap- 

 pealingly to me, uttering the soft note of the mallard. 

 To use his wings never seemed to cross his mind. 

 56 



