22 
THE NORTHLAND BIRD LIFE 
seemed more surprised than ever. Indeed, 
strange to tell, he seemed to remember that 
he had important business on some other 
part of the island, for he turned right about 
and trotted away! 
For two or three moments nobody said 
a word. At last Tommie Specks stepped 
out from behind Little Baby Laughing Loon, 
and, looking through his glasses, said, “Well, 
well, what were you all frightened at? You 
didn’t think he’d dare attack all of us at 
once? Not while I was around he wouldn’t.” 
But all the bird folks were looking up at 
Dannie Whooping Crane, who had not yet 
put his other foot down on the sand. He 
didn’t say a word, but just looked at some 
clams on a rock which the little bird folks 
had been trying to eat, but couldn’t, because 
their shells were too hard. Then he stooped 
over and gave a clam one crack with his 
long beak, and the clam burst right in two! 
Well! Well! What a strong beak!” ex¬ 
claimed Tommie Specks, edging toward the 
