80 
THE NORTHLAND BIRD LIFE 
she just felt bad all over at the thought of 
it right now! 
She went off in a corner all by herself and 
began to think. She was sure she would 
look very absurd standing on her head or 
turning hand springs in the water. Oh! no, 
she could never, never do that! But,— 
but, her mother had said once that their 
family were sometimes known as trumpeters 
and enjoyed the reputation of being the 
greatest trumpeters in the world. She just 
wondered if she could be one too. She 
swam away and away from the other Bird 
children till she was quite by herself in a 
little cove of the sea. There she puckered 
up her face and uttered a little tiny note. 
Oh, it was ever so tiny! But she did have 
to admit it sounded rather fine, so she tried 
it again, this time a little louder. Ah! yes, 
she could trumpet! She could indeed! And 
now she would have a cheerful old age, for 
she would practice over and over again, and 
very soon she would come marching out 
