68 
THE NORTHLAND BIRD LIFE 
Baby could not hear a word she said. Her 
heart was beating so loudly and her feet 
made such a splashing as she paddled her 
best that the sound was quite drowned. Dare 
she stop for a second to listen? It was an 
only hope! Just one brief second she paused, 
then clearly across the waters came: 
“Play submarine! Play submarine!” 
For just a second Baby was puzzled, then 
she understood and instantly she disappeared 
as completely as if she had been swallowed 
by old Giant Whale. In vain the pirates 
skimmed along the water in search of her. 
They did not find her. But when at last 
they had given up the search Baby appeared 
on the water quite close to her mother’s side. 
Mrs. Laughing Loon kissed her a hundred 
times or more, and exclaimed, “I should have 
told you before! I should have told you 
before! But now you know what a valuable 
thing it is to be able to play submarine. 
Having learned it by this experience you 
will not forget it half so soon as you might 
