92 
WILD AMERICANS 
“What’s the matter, Sister? What is it?” The 
waves were a little rough on this stretch of seacoast, 
but Ginger wore her bathing suit and the water 
wasn’t over her head for a long way out. Buck could 
see nothing to alarm her at first. 
“I don’t know,” she answered him, “only it had a 
mouth as long as my arm, and a suitcase hanging un¬ 
der it, and it stared at me, and it had big wings, and 
I’m sure he flew at me, and—” 
Uncle Ely had heard Ginger scream also, and had 
come running. 
“Are you talking about the pelican?” Uncle Ely 
asked. “The big fellow that just flew away?” 
“Y-yes, sir. He looked so queer, and—” 
Uncle Ely chuckled at her. “I don’t blame you for 
being scared a little. But a pelican won’t hurt any¬ 
body. He is one of the friendliest birds we have.” 
“But he flew at me, Uncle Ely!” 
“He just wanted to see what you were doing. Per¬ 
haps he saw a fish in the water near you. He’s a great 
fisherman. He has better luck than I have at fishing.” 
“Does he use a hook?” asked Ginger. 
Buck glared at her, because he knew better than to 
ask such a question. 
“No,” Uncle Ely grinned. “He uses a dip net. 
