WILD LIFE ON THE WING 
between the stones. He whirled up his wings and 
beat his breast bare against the wall. He threw 
himself out, and the weight of the iron dragged 
him back. He found no purchase for his 
prisoned feet, for he who had set the trap had 
done his work well. The steel jaws were 
rubber fanged ; contrived to grip, not to crush. 
They numbed but did not cut. So he struggled, 
while the winter sun rose level with the 
transept roofs, and the jackdaws came crowding 
to the spectacle, gabbling amazedly to see their 
late overlord in such a plight. 
The belfry clock struck four quarters, then 
tolled the hour, and Seumas Skerritt from the 
street below looked up and saw something 
flutter feebly at the corner of the parapet 
overhead. A few minutes later and lolar 
heard the tramp of feet on the stair, and knew 
that his captor was coming. He threw himself 
forward, screaming and fighting, and Skerritt 
hurried up eagerly when he saw that his captive 
was still alive. The staple which held the gin 
to the wall was driven in to the head, but even 
so the mortar which held it had been loosened 
from the stone. Something slipped : in his 
panic lolar heeded not whether it were his 
bond or his sinews. The man was stretching 
over the edge to clutch him. lolar struck 
back at the hand. At that moment it was 
58 
