WILD LIFE ON THE WING 
where she had been bred ; for the sound of it 
flowing over its pebbles was nearer and more 
jubilant than ever. 
In this field the grass was eaten more closely 
by the cattle, and they made better progress, 
especially along the path where their foot trail 
ran for fifty yards the broad arrow of Cearc- 
uise with the smaller point of the little one 
superimposed upon it. The clouds began to 
draw away to the east in the wake of the 
thunder, and the rain fell less heavily. For 
the first time for many days the air was cool. 
A lark rose up from the saturated meadow 
carolling rapturously, and as the western skies 
cleared, a little crescent moon dipped to its 
setting. The chick was wet through and very 
weary, but he struggled on bravely enough, for 
it was now light enough for him to see his 
mother in front of him. She did not walk 
with her jaunty carriage, but crouched low like 
a landrail lest some enemy should chance to 
see her head moving about the grass. 
Suddenly a moorhen screamed close at hand. 
At the sound Cearc-uise began to run swiftly, 
and the chick followed as best he might, for 
the wet grasses swung back and hit him in 
the face. He heard a splash then a wholly 
rapturous " kek-keking." He thrust after her 
through a tangle of comfrey and vetches, and 
38 
