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diff --git a/40214-8.txt b/40214-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 946d0b6..0000000 --- a/40214-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,9846 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's The Swan and Her Crew, by George Christopher Davies - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: The Swan and Her Crew - or The Adventures of Three Young Naturalists and Sportsmen - on the Broads and Rivers of Norfolk - -Author: George Christopher Davies - -Release Date: July 12, 2012 [EBook #40214] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SWAN AND HER CREW *** - - - - -Produced by Chris Curnow, C.S. Beers and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - -[Illustration: THE BOYS HAWKING ON THE BROAD.] - - - - - THE SWAN - - AND HER CREW, - - _OR THE ADVENTURES OF_ - - THREE YOUNG NATURALISTS AND SPORTSMEN - - _ON THE BROADS AND RIVERS OF NORFOLK_. - - - BY - G. CHRISTOPHER DAVIES, - - AUTHOR OF "MOUNTAIN, MEADOW, AND MERE;" "RAMBLES AND ADVENTURES OF - OUR SCHOOL FIELD CLUB;" "ANGLING IDYLLS;" ETC., ETC. - - - SECOND EDITION. - - _WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS._ - - - London: - FREDERICK WARNE AND CO., - BEDFORD STREET, STRAND. - NEW YORK:--SCRIBNER, WELFORD AND ARMSTRONG. - - - - - LONDON: - R. CLAY, SONS, AND TAYLOR, PRINTERS, - BREAD STREET HILL, - QUEEN VICTORIA STREET. - - - - - PREFACE. - - -A preface is like the bow of an actor when he comes on the stage, or -like the hand-shaking of two friends when they meet--the prelude to the -entertainment, or the friendly conversation. I suppose, therefore, I -must follow the fashion, and say, "How d'ye do?" in this way. I hope the -answer will be, "Quite well, thank you, and much the better for seeing -you." - -In a book of similar character to this one, which I published a short -time ago, I offered to reply to any questions which any of my young -readers, who wished for further information upon any of the subjects -mentioned in that book, might put to me, by means of letters addressed -to me, to the care of the publishers. I then had the pleasure of -answering many such letters, and I now repeat the offer to the readers -of this book. - -I am indebted to my friend Mr. William Whitwell, of Oxford, who is, like -myself, a lover of boys, for the chapter on the "LIFE OF A FERN." - - - - - CONTENTS. - - PAGE - CHAPTER I. - Greeting.--The Broad District.--Hickling Broad.--Felling a - Tree.--Dodging the Swallows.--Shooting the Crossbills.--The - Boat-house. 1 - - CHAPTER II. - Stuffing the Crossbills.--The proposed Yacht.--An impaled - Woodcock. 8 - - CHAPTER III. - A Momentous Decision. 13 - - CHAPTER IV. - Digging for Pupæ.--Dick Carleton.--Metamorphoses of - Butterfly. 14 - - CHAPTER V. - Building the Yacht.--The Launch.--Great Crested Grebe's - nest.--A floating Coot's nest.--Golden Crested Wrens.-- - Their Migration.--The Flight of a Heron. 20 - - CHAPTER VI. - Mr. Meredith.--"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it - with thy might."--A Botanical Lecture.--The Goat - Moth.--Blowing up a Tree.--An astonished Cow.--Caterpillars - in the Wood. 31 - - CHAPTER VII. - A Trial Sail.--Preparing for a Cruise.--Charging a Reed - Bed.--An explosion of Birds.--The First Adventure.-- - Orange-Tip Butterfly.--No Salt.--How Salt is obtained. 36 - - CHAPTER VIII. - An Eerie Night.--A Ghostly Apparition.--The Barn Owl.--A - Will-o'-the-Wisp.--The Ruff and Reeve.--Snaring - Ruffs.--A Nest.--Wroxham Broad.--Mud-boards and - Leaping-pole.--Wild Duck's Nest in a Tree. 43 - - CHAPTER IX. - Chameleon.--Light-coloured Eggs.--Sitting Birds have no - Scent.--Forget-me-nots.--Trespassing.--The Owner.--A - Chase.--Capture.--Pintail Duck.--Drumming of - Snipe.--Swallow-tail Butterfly.--A Perilous Adventure. 51 - - CHAPTER X. - Moonlight.--Instinct and Reason.--Death's Head Moth.-- - Bittern.--Water-rail.--Quail.--Golden Plover.--Hen-Harrier - and Weasel.--Preserving Bird-skins. 63 - - CHAPTER XI. - To the Rescue.--A Long-tailed Tit's Nest.--A Shower of - Feathers. 75 - - CHAPTER XII. - Yarmouth.--The "Rows."--A Stiff Breeze.--An Exciting - Sail.--Sparrow-hawk's Nest.--A Nasty Fall.--Long-eared - Owl.--Partridge.--Sandpiper. 79 - - CHAPTER XIII. - A Grizzly Bear.--Gossamers.--Strike only on the Box. 88 - - CHAPTER XIV. - Oulton Broad.--Lateeners.--Lowestoft.--Ringed Plover's - Nest.--Oyster-catcher.--Shore-fishing.--A Perilous Sail. 92 - - CHAPTER XV. - Animals which never die.--A Wonderful Tip to his Tail.-- - Thunderstorm.--Swan's Nest.--Bearded Tit.--Reed-wrens - and Cuckoo. 97 - - CHAPTER XVI. - Old School-fellows.--Tom-Tit's Nest in Boot.--Nuthatch.-- - Wryneck.--Ant-hill.--Marsh-Tit.--A Comical Fix. 104 - - CHAPTER XVII. - The Boat-race.--Winning.--Mr. Marston.--Nightingale and - Nest.--The noise of the Nightingales. 113 - - CHAPTER XVIII. - A queer Umbrella.--Visit to Scoulton Gullery.--Driving - Tandem.--Running away.--Black-headed Gulls.--Collecting - the Eggs.--Carp.--Wood Argus Butterfly.--Scarlet - Pimpernel.--Grasshopper Warbler.--Chiff-Chaff.--Gall-Fly.-- - Robins' Pincushions. 121 - - CHAPTER XIX. - Back again.--Taken in Tow.--Bobbing for Eels.--Glow-worms.-- - Home.--Urticating Caterpillars. 132 - - CHAPTER XX. - Golden Oriole.--Landrail.--House-martins in Trouble.-- - Siskin.--Peacock and Red Admiral Butterflies.--Winchat's - Nest.--Bitten by a Viper.--Viper and Snake.--Slow-worm. 137 - - CHAPTER XXI. - Fishing.--Jimmy's Dodge.--Bream-fishing.--Good Sport.-- - Fecundity of Fish.--Balance Float.--Fish-hatching.--Edith - Rose.--A Night Sail. 149 - - CHAPTER XXII. - Calling for Landrails.--Landrail Shamming Death.-- - Yellow-Under-wing Moth and Wasp.--Dragon-Fly and - Butterfly.--Stink-horn Fungus.--Sundew. 158 - - CHAPTER XXIII. - Setting Night-Lines.--An Encounter with Poachers. 161 - - CHAPTER XXIV. - Water Insects.--Aquaria. 165 - - CHAPTER XXV. - Making a Fern Case.--Ferns.--Harvest Mouse.--Mole.-- - Ladybird.--Grasses. 176 - - CHAPTER XXVI. - The Life of a Fern. 185 - - CHAPTER XXVII. - On the "War-path."--Rabbit-shooting.--Flapper-shooting.-- - Duck-shooting.--Wood-pigeons.--Life in an Oak-tree.-- - Burying-beetles.--Lace-wing Fly.--Stag-beetle.--Hair-worm. 194 - - CHAPTER XXVIII. - Purple Emperor.--His taste for Carrion.--Woodpecker.-- - Blue and Small Copper Butterflies.--Buff-tip Moth.--Moths - at Ivy.--Strange-looking Caterpillars. 202 - - CHAPTER XXIX. - How to Attract Perch.--Perch-fishing.--Pike.--Good - Sport.--Plaster Casts.--Model Eggs. 209 - - CHAPTER XXX. - Eel-fishing.--Setting the Nets.--Elvers.--The Merivale - Float. 214 - - CHAPTER XXXI. - Hawking. 220 - - CHAPTER XXXII. - Heron-hawking.--Great Bustard.--Stock-Dove in - Rabbit-hole.--"Dowe" Dogs.--Search for Bustard's Egg. 227 - - CHAPTER XXXIII. - Water-hen swallowed by Pike.--Casting-net.--Trapping - Water-hen for Bait.--A Monster Pike. 235 - - CHAPTER XXXIV. - Fishing on Stilts.--A Capsize.--Wild-fowl Shooting.-- - A Flare-up. 239 - - CHAPTER XXXV. - Punt-shooting on Breydon.--A Narrow Escape. 242 - - CHAPTER XXXVI. - Drifted to Sea.--A Perilous Position.--Rescue. 246 - - CHAPTER XXXVII. - The Broad Frozen.--Skating.--Fish Frozen in Ice.--Birds - Frozen to the Ice.--Ice Ships. 249 - - CHAPTER XXXVIII. - The Thaw.--Cromer.--Prehistoric Remains. 251 - - CHAPTER XXXIX. - The Boys' Note Book. 253 - - CHAPTER XL. - The Regatta.--The "Waterlog's" Victory. 259 - - CHAPTER XLI. - The Conclusion. 264 - - - - - LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. - - PAGE - - THE BOYS HAWKING ON THE BROAD _Front._ - - CROSSBILL 9 - - WOODCOCK 12 - - METAMORPHOSES OF BUTTERFLY 16 - - THE PARK IN SUMMER 17 - - WHITE HAWTHORN BUTTERFLY 19 - - BUILDING THE BOAT 22 - - A YARMOUTH YAWL 24 - - THE COMMON COOT 28 - - COMMON WREN AND EGG 29 - - HERON 30 - - ORANGE-TIP BUTTERFLY 40 - - THE BARN-OWL AND EGG 44 - - WILD DUCK 50 - - ROACH 52 - - CHAMELEON 53 - - REDBREAST AND EGG 55 - - YACHT 57 - - COMMON SNIPE 60 - - SWALLOW-TAIL BUTTERFLY 61 - - MOONLIGHT SCENE 64 - - DEATH'S-HEAD MOTH 65 - - BITTERN 66 - - WATER-RAIL 68 - - AFRICAN BUSH QUAIL 69 - - NEST OF GOLDEN PLOVER 71 - - HEN-HARRIER 74 - - WEASEL 74 - - LONG-TAILED TIT AND EGG 78 - - SPARROW-HAWK 82 - - LONG-EARED OWL 84 - - COMMON PARTRIDGE 85 - - EGG OF COMMON PARTRIDGE 86 - - COMMON SANDPIPER 87 - - LATEEN SAIL 92 - - RINGED PLOVER 94 - - OYSTER-CATCHER 95 - - SWAN'S NEST 100 - - SWAN 101 - - CUCKOO AND EGG 103 - - TOM-TIT AND EGG 106 - - NUTHATCH 107 - - WRYNECK 108 - - WORKING ANT AND PORTION OF ANT-HILL 109 - - EGG OF WRYNECK 110 - - MARSH-TIT AND EGG 111 - - PAIR-OARED BOAT 116 - - MR. MARSTON'S HOUSE 117 - - NIGHTINGALE 119 - - NIGHTINGALE'S NEST 120 - - COMMON GULL 126 - - YOUNG GULLS COVERED WITH DOWN 127 - - CARP 128 - - CHIFF-CHAFF 130 - - OAK-GALL FLY 131 - - GLOW-WORM 136 - - ORIOLE 138 - - NEST OF AMERICAN SPECIES OF ORIOLE 139 - - LANDRAIL OR CORNCRAKE 140 - - HOUSE-MARTIN 141 - - SISKIN 141 - - PEACOCK BUTTERFLY, CHRYSALIS, AND CATERPILLAR 142 - - RED ADMIRAL BUTTERFLY 143 - - WINCHAT AND EGG 144 - - VIPER 145 - - COMMON RINGED SNAKE 146 - - SLOW-WORM 148 - - BREAM 150 - - ANGLING 153 - - TROUT 155 - - DRAGON-FLY 159 - - METAMORPHOSES OF FLESH-FLY 166 - - WATER-BEETLE 166 - - PUPA AND COMPOUND EYE OF DRAGON-FLY 167 - - LARVA OF GNAT. ESCAPE OF GNAT FROM ITS PUPA-CASE 167 - - METAMORPHOSES OF PLUMED GNAT 168 - - PUPA-CASE, LARVA, AND FLY OF CADDIS-WORM 169 - - MINNOW 170 - - SMOOTH NEWT 171 - - METAMORPHOSES OF NEWT 172 - - WATER-FLEAS AND ANIMALCULÆ IN DROP OF WATER AS - SEEN UNDER THE MICROSCOPE 173 - - FRESH-WATER AQUARIUM 174 - - METAMORPHOSES OF FROG 175 - - SEA-WATER AQUARIUM 176 - - WALL SPLEENWORT 177 - - FORKED SPLEENWORT 177 - - GREEN SPLEENWORT 177 - - OAK FERN 178 - - FRUCTIFICATION OF FERNS 179 - - WALL RUE, JERSEY FERN, MARSH FERN 180 - - HARVEST MOUSE AND NEST 181 - - MOLE 182 - - LADYBIRD AND ITS STAGES 183 - - FERN SPORES 187 - - SCALY SPLEENWORT OR "RUSTY BACK" 191 - - WILSON'S FILMY-FERN, TUNBRIDGE FILMY-FERN 192 - - WILD RABBITS 195 - - WOOD-PIGEON 197 - - SUSPENDED LEAF TENTS 198 - - LACE-WINGED FLY 200 - - STAG-HORNED PRIONUS AND DIAMOND BEETLE 201 - - GREEN WOODPECKER 204 - - BLUE BUTTERFLY 204 - - THE HAUNT OF THE PURPLE EMPEROR 205 - - PERCH AND GUDGEON 211 - - PIKE 212 - - EELS 218 - - APPARATUS USED IN HAWKING 221 - - COMMON HERON 228 - - GREAT BUSTARD 230 - - DOVES 231 - - WILD DUCK SHOOTING 244 - - MOLE CRICKET 254 - - COMMON LIZARD 255 - - OSPREY 256 - - GREAT CRESTED GREBE 256 - - WHITE ANTS' NEST, ANTS, ETC. 257 - - HEDGEHOG 258 - - HONEY BUZZARD 258 - - - - - The Swan and her Crew. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - - Greeting.--The Broad District.--Hickling Broad.-- - Felling a Tree.--Dodging the Swallows.-- - Shooting the Crossbills.--The Boat-house. - - -With the same feeling of pleasure which one experiences when one writes -to an old friend, I commence to write this new book, which I hope will -be read by many a boy friend. - -It is very pleasant to an author to feel that he has a large circle of -acquaintances whom he has never seen, and who know him only through his -books. It should be his aim and endeavour to extend that circle of -friends, and to increase the good feeling which they bear towards him. -Therefore, my dear boys, I hope that after reading this book which I now -submit to your approval, you will conceive as affectionate a regard for -me as I have for you. - -This is a story of sport and adventure, natural history and science, and -the movers in it are three boys just like yourselves; and that you may -understand the better what they did, I shall first describe the scene of -their exploits. It is the eastern part of Norfolk, and no better place -could be found as a field for the doings of three enterprising young -naturalists and sportsmen. It is known as the "Broad District," and it -consists almost entirely of lake, river, and marsh. If we take Yarmouth -on the sea-coast as the starting-point, and look inland, we shall see -first of all a large tidal lake known as Breydon Water. From this -radiate three rivers going north-west, west, and south-west. The chief -of them is the Yare, which winds for thirty miles inward to the old city -of Norwich. On our right is the river Bure, or North River, which after -a very long and winding course leaves the marsh, and enters a -richly-wooded country. To the south is the Waveney, a clear and -beautiful stream, which flows past Beccles and Bungay, two towns in -Suffolk. All these rivers are slow of current, wide and navigable not -only for yachts, but for vessels of large burden, such as wherries, -billy-boys, and small steamers. The banks of the rivers are fringed with -tall reeds, and they flow through miles of level marsh, where, as far as -the eye can reach, there is nothing to be seen but the white sails of -the yachts and the dark sails of the wherries, and occasional windmills -which are used for pumping the water out of the drains into the rivers. -In order to deepen the channel of the river for the purposes of -navigation, the embankments have been raised so high that the surface of -the water is much above the level of the drains which carry the water -off the surrounding marshes, and so the water has to be pumped into the -river out of the drains by means of pumps set in action by windmills. - -Here and there amid the wide extent of marsh are large lakes or lagoons, -which are locally termed "broads." These are very numerous and many of -them very large. Most of them are connected with one or other of the -rivers. Those on the Yare, are Surlingham and Rockland Broads; on the -Bure, or connected with it by long dykes, are Filby and Ormesby Broads, -Walsham, Ranworth, Hoveton, Wroxham, Barton, Martham and Hickling -Broads, and Heigham Sounds. All these broads are full of fish, large -pike and perch, and shoals of enormous bream. They are all very shallow, -and are surrounded by dense aquatic vegetation, reeds, rushes, flags and -bulrushes, and these are the haunts of many rare birds, and swarm with -wild-fowl. - -The great characteristic of this part of the county is its utter -loneliness and wildness, both qualities which are of especial interest -to the sportsman and naturalist. As it is also the most eastern county -of England, it is the first to receive many of the rarer migrants on -their passage to our shores, and more rare birds are caught there each -year than in any other part of our "tight little island." - -It is on the shores of Hickling Broad, and on a bright December day, -the first of the Christmas holidays, that our story opens. A tall -large-limbed boy, about sixteen years of age, yellow-haired, and -blue-eyed, stands with his hands in his pockets, looking over the waste -of waters on which the wavelets are dancing before a fresh breeze. His -name is Frank Merivale, and he appears deep in thought. - -The broad waters he is gazing over are lonely and deserted save for -occasional flights of wild-fowl, a marshman slowly pulling his boat -across, and a wherry (as a Norfolk sailing barge is called) beating to -windward along the broad, making very slow tacks to and fro, the reason -of which would not be apparent to one who did not know the broad. Why -does she not take long stretches which would take her more swiftly on -her course? The reason is this, the broad is not more than three feet -deep all over, save for a narrow channel in the middle, which is marked -out by posts at long intervals, and if the wherry forsook this channel -she would run aground. - -The Norfolk wherries are of very peculiar build and graceful appearance. -They are long, low, and shallow, rather flat-bottomed, but fine and -sharp in the stem and stern, which gives them a good hold of the water. -They have one mast, stepped well forward and weighted at the foot so -that it can be lowered to pass under bridges, and be easily raised -again. This mast supports one immense sail, tanned black or red-brown. -They sail wonderfully fast, even rivalling the yachts in their speed, -and they can go very close to the wind. They are generally worked by two -men, who live and sleep in the little cabin astern. - -We left Frank Merivale very much absorbed in thought. All at once a -happy thought seemed to strike him, for he started from his reverie, and -began to execute a step something between a walk and a war-dance. A -clump of rushes put an untimely end to this by tripping him up, and -causing him to measure his length upon the ground. With philosophical -composure he picked himself up, and walked off, whistling merrily, -towards a fir copse which stood upon the crest of a rising, lying above. -We should say that while the flat marsh stretches between Hickling Broad -and the sea, to the westward and inland the country is diversified with -woods, and slight elevations forming a very pretty sylvan district. -Reaching the fir-wood Frank entered it, and after looking about for a -little time, he fixed upon a tall slender young larch-tree. He walked -round and round it, and examined it critically, finally lying down on -his back at its foot, and, with his eye close to its stem, glanced up it -to see if it were perfectly straight. Satisfied on this point, he took -out a large clasp-knife, and marked the trunk with a huge cross. Then he -crossed the hedge and took his way through a large park, until he came -to a paddock and pleasant house nestling among some large lime-trees, -and surrounded by croquet lawns and well-kept gardens. It was an old -house, built with many wings and projections and in many styles of -architecture, the most prominent of which was a heavily-timbered -Elizabethan style. Around the two principal sides of the house ran a -wooden veranda, which in summer was luxuriantly hung with roses. - -This was Frank Merivale's home, and vaulting over the gate which -separated the paddock from the lawn, he went into the house. Coming down -the broad staircase into the hall, he met his two sisters; the eldest, a -girl of thirteen, was like her brother, blue eyed and yellow-haired, -with a face full of fun and mischief. Her name was Mary. The younger -sister bore the same strong family likeness and was barely eleven. - -"Well, merry Mary Merivale," said Frank, "is the pater in?" - -"Yes, Frank, he is in the library." - -"That's all right; and where are you going?" - -"We are going to dig pupæ for you," answered Mary. - -"Then you are a good little woman," replied Frank, catching her round -the waist, and giving her a kiss. - -"Have you got a mat to kneel upon, so as not to catch cold?" - -"Yes, we have got a mat and a trowel, in this basket, and we mean to get -you a lot of moths. Don't we, Florrie?" - -"Yes, ever so many." - -Frank went along the passage, and entered the library. Mr. Merivale was -seated at the table writing. He was a pale and studious-looking man, -with a very kind and genial expression of face. He owned a small estate -on the shores of the Broad, and was a deep thinker and scholarly writer, -writing books which were intended chiefly for college libraries. He -looked up as his son entered, and said,-- - -"Well, Frank, what is it?" - -"Please father, my birthday is next week." - -"I had not forgotten it, my boy." - -"Well, sir, I suppose you are going to give me a present of some sort as -usual, and I thought, if you don't mind, that I should like to choose my -present this time for myself." - -"If you choose wisely, you shall have what you wish, Frank." - -"Well, sir, all that I want is that you should let me have one of the -straight young larches by the Broad. I want to cut it down at once that -it may season by the spring." - -"It is rather a strange birthday present, Frank, but you may have it, in -addition to the one your mother and I were about to get you, which was -Morris's _British Birds_." - -"Oh, father, I am so glad. That is just the book I have been wanting." - -Mr. Merivale did not ask his son what the larch-tree was for. He thought -that if Frank wished him to know he would have told him at once. He had -a most perfect trust in his children, and he delighted to let them see -that he had this trust in them. Hence it was their pride to deserve the -confidence placed in them, and a happier family was not to be found in -all Norfolk. Mr. Merivale supposed his son had good reasons for not -making him a confidant in the matter of the larch-tree, so forbore to -ask him. - -Frank quickly made his way to the outbuildings, where he obtained a -couple of axes and a long rope. Laden with these he set off along a -thickly-hedged lane until he came to a cottage, set far back in an -old-fashioned garden. Here lived Jimmy Brett, his great friend, a boy -about the same age as himself, who lived with his grandmother, Mrs. -Brett, in this quiet little cottage. As Frank went up the garden walk he -saw Jimmy perched on a ladder, engaged in painting a long board, a foot -wide, which he had fixed up the whole length of the front of the -cottage, just below the bed-room window. - -"What on earth is that for, Jimmy?" cried Frank, in astonishment. - -Jimmy turned round, revealing himself as a slight, pale-faced lad, with -an eager and intelligent countenance, and replied-- - -"Well, you see, the swallows build in such great numbers in these wide -old-fashioned eaves that they are rather a nuisance, and grandmother -does not like the mess they make of the door-steps and windows below, -so I thought if I put a board all the way along beneath their nests it -would do away with the nuisance." - -"That is a clever idea, Jimmy; but do you not think that the swallows -will build _below_ the board next year. They will think you put it there -just on purpose for them." - -"I never thought of that, Frank," replied Jimmy, looking rather blank; -"but now you mention it I think it is likely enough they will;" and by -way of parenthesis I may say that next spring the swallows and -house-martins did build under the new board in great numbers, and so -frustrated Jimmy's plan altogether. - -"What are you going to do with those axes and that rope, Frank?" - -"Come and see; but first finish your painting, while I go in and see the -grandmother." - -As the two boys walked off to the fir-copse, Frank told his friend that -he meant to cut down the tree, but he would not tell him what it was -that he wanted it for, and Jimmy's curiosity was provoked to a great -degree. - -When they reached the wood they proceeded to the tree which Frank had -marked, and Jimmy was sent up to fasten the rope to the top of it. Then -while Frank took off his coat and applied the axe vigorously to the -bottom of the tree, making the chips fly in all directions, Jimmy took -the other end of the rope over the fence, and kept a steady pull upon -it. At last the tree began to creak and groan, and then fell over with a -crash. Jimmy then took the other axe, and the two began to lop off the -branches. This was a long job, and when it was finished they were very -warm and tired, and sat down to rest for a while on the fallen tree. - -A clicking and cracking sound in the wood about them now became audible -to their quick ears. It might have been heard before had it not been -drowned by the noise of the axes. They looked up, and to their great -delight they saw a small flock of birds larger than a green linnet, and -with plumage of red, brown, and yellow. They were flitting about the -fir-trees, cutting off the fir-cones with their bills, and then holding -them on the branches with their claws, and cracking them, and picking -out the seeds, producing at the same time the noise which had attracted -the attention of the boys. - -"What are they?" exclaimed Jimmy; "their beaks are hooked, and cross -each other. I never saw birds like them before." - -"They are crossbills, as sure as we are here!" said Frank, excitedly. -"Run to the boat-house as quick as you can, while I watch them, and -bring the gun." - -Brett sped off like a deer, while Frank followed the movements of the -strange birds with interest. - -Jimmy returned with the gun, and quite out of breath. - -"Now," said Frank, "from the difference in colour there are evidently -males and females here, and we must get one of each; and we must do it -without disturbing the others, as if we don't frighten them they may -stay here and breed." - -They watched for some time before they could get the desired chance, and -then two birds flew, toying with each other, to some distance from the -rest. They were evidently male and female. Frank put the gun to his -shoulder, a report rang through the wood, and both the crossbills, for -such they were, fell dead to the ground. - -Frank might have shot many more, but he was a thorough naturalist, and, -as such, he disliked the idea of indiscriminate and useless slaughter. -He had procured specimens sufficient, and he humanely let the others go. - -"Now, Jimmy, we have got a prize. Crossbills are not seen every day. Let -us go to the boat-house and skin them, and read something about them in -our books." - -The boat-house, which belonged to Mr. Merivale, stood at the edge of a -little bay of the Broad. It was a large, substantial structure, -projecting out into the water, and having a large room above, approached -by a staircase. This had been appropriated by Frank as his "den," and -here it was that he and his friend transacted all their private -business, held their natural history meetings, skinned and stuffed -birds, and kept their collection of birds' eggs and butterflies. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - - Stuffing the Crossbills.--The proposed Yacht.--An impaled Woodcock. - - -Frank led the way up stairs, and unlocking the door they entered the -room, and piling up some brushwood in the grate they lit it, and soon -had a roaring fire. The room now presented a very cheerful appearance. A -large window at one end looked out over the glittering Broad. The room -itself was plainly furnished with a few deal chairs and a table, and at -one side of it was an old-fashioned bureau, in the drawers of which the -boys' natural history collections were stored. Around the room were -several shelves, on which were some very creditably stuffed birds, -flower-pots filled with mould and covered with gauze bent over cane -arches, the use of which will presently appear, and a good number of -books on natural history, chiefly of a cheap and popular kind. - -Frank got out a box containing knife-blades of various sizes fastened -into handles of wood, two pairs of scissors, pliers, and other tools -useful or necessary for skinning or stuffing birds; while Jimmy Brett -took down a book on birds, and turned to the account of the crossbill; -and as Frank was busy at one end of the table skinning the birds, Jimmy -at the other end kept up a running commentary on his book for the -benefit of his friend, in the following manner:-- - -"There is a lot about crossbills here, Frank. They are rare, but they -have been found at different times and in different months of the year -in many parts of the kingdom. They vary greatly in size as well as in -colour, according to age, sex, and the time of the year. They are -yellow, red, green, or brown at different times, so if it were not for -their cross bills it would be rather hard to distinguish them. There are -two pictures of them here; one has a rose-coloured back and red-brown -wings, and the other has a green back and brown wings. The beaks curve -and cross each other, and appear to be particularly suited for breaking -open the cones of fir-trees and picking out the seeds, and they will cut -open apples and other fruit to get at the pips. They come generally in -the winter, but often stay until the spring, and then they may breed -here, although it is very seldom that their nests are found. They breed -in Norway and Sweden, and nest very early in the year, and their nest -seems to be like a missel thrush's, and is placed in fir-trees. Their -eggs are white with just a touch of blue or green, and spotted with -brown spots." - -[Illustration: CROSSBILL.] - -"There, that is all that seems to be worth noticing, but we have got a -prize worth having. I am afraid they will not stop and breed. There are -not enough pine woods about, and they appear to be fond of going from -place to place, so that it is not likely they will be here in the -spring." - -While he talked, Frank quickly and skilfully skinned and cleaned the -birds, and then he painted the inside of the skins with a solution of -corrosive sublimate dissolved in spirits of wine, which is a most -excellent preservative and much more cleanly to handle than arsenical -soap. Then he loosely stuffed them with cotton-wool, smoothed the -feathers, and placed them on a shelf to dry. - -"Now, Frank," said Jimmy plaintively, "what _are_ you going to do with -that young larch-tree? I have been very patient all this time, so you -may as well tell me now." - -"Well, Jimmy, I have thought of a grand idea. You are the inventive -genius of us two, and I usually carry things out; but I have invented -something now which we must both help to carry out. What do you think of -having a yacht, Jimmy--a large yacht, so that we could sail all over the -Broad, and down the rivers, and all over the country, and fish and -birdnest, and naturalize, and shoot wildfowl to our hearts' content? -What do you think of that, my boy?" - -"It would be an awfully jolly thing, no doubt; but as far as Hickling -Broad goes, it is too shallow for any yacht. Why, except in the Channel, -it is not more than four feet deep in any part, large as it is; and -parts of it are only two feet deep, so that if we had a yacht we should -stick fast directly. Besides, how are we to get a yacht?" - -"Make one." - -"How? It will be impossible." - -"We could not make a yacht of the usual shape, and if we could, it would -not suit our purposes. What I propose is that we should build a double -yacht. Just listen while I explain, and don't interrupt. We will make -two long pontoons, pointed at both ends, and connect the two by -cross-pieces, on which we can lay a deck and build a small, low cabin. -Such a boat would not draw more than a foot of water, and to make her -sail to windward we should have a drop keel or centre board, which we -could let down or draw up according to the depth of the water. Then I -think a lug sail and mizen would suit her best. We will build her -ourselves. And inch deal is cheap enough, so it cannot cost so much. I -have saved my pocket-money to buy a lot of books, but I can do without -them for a time"---- - -"I have a couple of sovereigns," eagerly interrupted Jimmy. - -"That is right; then we can do it swimmingly. We will build her in old -Bell's yard, and he will lend us what tools we have not got." - -Jimmy warmly welcomed the idea, and, getting out some paper and pencils, -they began to draw plans and estimates of cost with great enthusiasm. - -"And now," said Frank, "we will go and see Bell and ask him what he -thinks of it." - -Bell was a very eccentric old man, who lived on the shores of a small -and winding creek, which ran up from the Broad. By trade he was a -tailor, but he united to this the very different occupation of a -boat-builder, and filled up his spare time with fishing and shooting -wildfowl. He was a close observer of the habits of beasts, birds, and -fishes, and was a great favourite with the boys, whose visits he liked -and encouraged. - -Stepping into the boat that lay moored in the boat-house, the two boys -rowed across a bend of the Broad and up the creek to his cottage. The -old man was at work in his yard, repairing the bottom of a boat, while -his old wife might be seen at the window of the house putting the -finishing-touches to the Sunday coat of some village beau. - -"Good morning, Bell; it is a fine day." - -"Good morning, young master. Yes, it is a fine day, but it will be finer -to-morrow. Yon robin sings higher in the poplar this afternoon than he -did this morning, and that is a sure sign that finer weather is coming." - -"I never knew that before," said Frank. - -"No, you have not lived so long in the world as I have," replied Bell; -"but I am glad you have come, for I have a very strange sight to show -you. Look here." - -He went into the cottage, and returned, bringing with him a dry and -withered branch, one end of which had been torn and slit, probably by -the wind, so that it was a sharp and jagged spike. On the end of this -was impaled a fine woodcock, dead of course, and with the sharp piece of -wood imbedded in its breast. - -"Poor thing, how did it get into that fix?" Jimmy exclaimed. - -"Well, sir, you see it was in this way. The birds, as you know, are now -coming from abroad--I can hear great flocks of them at night sometimes -as they fly overhead calling to one another--and last night you know was -pitch dark, so that this woodcock, coming over at a great speed, flew -against this sharp branch in the dark and spiked itself. When I got up -this morning I saw it in that oak-tree, and I sent my boy up to cut off -the branch, and knowing you would like to have it, I kept it, just as it -was." - -"We are very much obliged to you, Bell, and we will mount it and stuff -it, just as it is. It will be an interesting thing to add to our museum, -won't it, Jimmy?" - -"I have often heard of birds flying against the telegraph wires and -being killed in the dark, and of their dashing against windows, either -attracted by the light, or not seeing the glass, but I have not heard of -anything so curious as this. One cannot help feeling sorry for the poor -bird. After a long and tiring journey, and expecting to find all its -troubles over, to meet with a sad end like this!" - -[Illustration: WOODCOCK.] - -The boys then unfolded their plan to Bell. Anything out of the common -was sure to interest him, and hence, though he was not so sanguine of -success as the boys were, yet he thought it might be done, and offered -to help them as much as he could, and to let them use his yard. - -"There is nothing like making a beginning," said Frank, who was quick -and impetuous in action, and he took off his coat and set to work -vigorously to clear a space close by the water's edge, where the keel of -a yacht might be laid, while Jimmy went through their calculations of -cost with Bell. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - - A Momentous Decision. - - -When Frank went home one of the servants told him that his father -particularly wished to see him in the library as soon as he came in. He -went into the library, and found his father and mother both there and -looking rather serious. - -"Sit down, Frank," said his father. "We have something to say to you -about which we wish you to think carefully before you decide. Sir -Richard Carleton has been here. He is not only a neighbour but a friend -of mine, although as I do not go out much we seldom meet each other. He -is a widower with one son, a boy about your age. Do you know him?" - -"Very slightly, sir." - -"Well, this son of his, Dick Carleton, is very delicate; he has grown -very tall and beyond his strength, and the doctor says he must not be -sent to a public school. Now at home he has no boy companions, and he is -moping himself to death. Sir Richard says he takes no interest in -anything; he won't ride or work, and if he goes on like this it will end -in a serious illness. What his father wants to do is to arouse in him -some interest in his life, and to awake him out of the deadly apathy he -is in at present. Sir Richard knows your healthy outdoor mode of life, -and your fondness for Natural History and sport, and he thinks you -might, if you chose, be the means of making his boy take some interest -in the same sort of thing, and if you did so you would in all -probability save his son's life. Now what he proposes is this: That you -should leave the Grammar School at Norwich, and that his son and you -should be placed under the tuition of our Rector until it is time to go -to college. Your education would be as well attended to as at Norwich, -and your mother and I could have no objection to the arrangement, but we -wish you to decide for yourself." - -Frank's decision was made at once. The life at the Grammar School was -very jolly, with its cricket and football and the rowing matches on the -river, but if this new arrangement were carried out there would be far -better opportunities of building and sailing the projected yacht, and of -sporting and naturalizing on the broads and rivers, so he at once -answered-- - -"I shall be very willing to try it, sir; but Jimmy Brett must be -included in the arrangement. I could not desert him, and he would be -miserable without me at school. It would never do to separate us now, -father." - -"Well, but do you think his grandmother can afford it? It will be more -expensive than being at the Grammar School." - -"Then I tell you what, father and mother: the Rector must only charge -Jimmy the same as the Grammar School, and you must make up the -difference to him, and I will do with less pocket-money." - -"You shall not make that sacrifice, darling," said Mrs. Merivale; "we -will put that all right, and I will go and see Mrs. Brett in the -morning." - -And so the matter was finally arranged, and that the boys might become -well acquainted with each other, Dick Carleton was invited to stay at -Mr. Merivale's. But before he comes we will just go back a few hours and -follow merry Mary Merivale, as her brother called her, and her younger -sister Florrie, on their search for pupæ. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - - Digging for Pupæ.--Dick Carleton.--Metamorphoses of Butterfly. - - -About two miles further inland from Mr. Merivale's and in the midst of a -fine and well-wooded country, was Sir Richard Carleton's house. Around -it was a park with larger timber trees than were to be found in the rest -of the countryside. Mary and Florence Merivale had fixed on this spot as -the scene of their labours in the cause of science, as represented by -the collections of their brother and Jimmy Brett. Leaving the path, -they trespassed boldly in search of suitable trees for their purpose. -Frank had told them that the vicinity of houses was the best, because -moths, in all probability attracted by the lights, laid their eggs on -trees and shrubs near houses. So the two girls went up as near the large -house as they thought they might venture without being seen, and -commenced their search. - -A tall youth strolling languidly down a path through the woods saw two -kneeling figures in red cloaks at the foot of a large willow-tree, and -their movements aroused his curiosity, and while he stands looking at -them let us say what manner of boy Dick Carleton is. He is very tall and -thin, but he has a figure that only wants filling out to be handsome. He -has a very beautiful face and head, and curly brown hair. His large dark -eyes and pale complexion make him look more delicate than he really is, -but he is afflicted with a listless melancholy that shows itself in -every movement. It was this melancholy which had aroused his father's -fears, and it was plain that if it were not checked in time grave -results might follow. He stood for some time looking at the two girls, -wishing to ask what they were doing, but too shy to do so. At last Mary -caught sight of him, and rising, she said-- - -"I hope we are not trespassing?" - -"You are trespassing, but it does not matter," replied Dick, taking off -his hat. "But may I ask what you are doing?" - -"We are digging for pupæ," answered Mary. - -"And what are pupæ?" - -"Don't you know?" asked Mary in surprise. - -"No." - -"Why they come into moths. The moth lays its egg, the eggs turn into -caterpillars, which feed on leaves and trees, and then turn into these -things," and she then showed him five or six large red cylindrical -objects which she had in her basket. "When the spring comes these will -turn into moths." - -"How wonderful," said Dick. "I did not know that before; but if the -caterpillars feed on leaves, how is it that you dig those from the -ground?" - -"The caterpillars of some moths go into the earth before they change -into the pupæ state. I do not know why: I suppose they think it safer." - -"Where did you learn all this?" said Dick, his eyes lighting up with a -new life and interest at this first glimpse of what was to him a new and -strange world. - -"From my brother Frank and Jimmy Brett. They are making collections, and -we are helping them as much as we can. My brother is Frank Merivale, and -I am Mary Merivale." - -"And my name is Carleton; but please tell me more about these things. -Will they turn into white butterflies?" - -"They won't turn into butterflies at all, but into moths, great ugly -things with thick bodies; only Frank and Jimmy like them." - -[Illustration: METAMORPHOSES OF BUTTERFLY.] - -"I should like to find some if you will show me how to dig for them. I -suppose if I keep them they will turn into moths some time." - -[Illustration: THE PARK IN SUMMER.] - -"Yes; put them into a flower-pot full of mould and keep it rather damp, -and put something over so that the moths sha'n't fly away, and in the -spring they will come out; but it is prettiest to see butterflies come -out. They split open the chrysalis at the back of its neck and creep -out, but their wings are all shrivelled up to nothing, and they climb up -the side of the box, and then their wings spread out, and get so large -and beautiful! I could find you plenty of the chrysalides of the -white butterflies by your greenhouses, but if you want moths, take this -trowel and dig around the other side of this tree about three inches -from it and three inches deep. They do not breed on all trees; we have -tried five to-day and found nothing, but at this one we have got -twelve." - -More amused and interested than he had ever been before, Dick knelt down -and began to dig. Very soon he found a large chrysalis, and, encouraged -by this success, he dug more vigorously, and very soon he had found -five, while the girls had increased their spoils to sixteen. - -"Now, Miss Merivale, will you come to the greenhouses and show me how to -get some butterfly chrysalides? I shall be very glad if you will, and I -should like to introduce you to my father, and I will ask him to ask -your brother here, then he could tell me more about these things." - -[Illustration: WHITE HAWTHORN BUTTERFLY.] - -Mary hesitated, but Florrie said, "Oh, do go, Mary;" so she consented, -and they walked up through the gardens, and Mary showed Dick where to -look for the chrysalides of the common white butterfly, which are to be -found through the winter attached by a silken thread to the sheltered -sides of walls, and under the coping of greenhouses and buildings near -the gardens where the caterpillars have fed on the lettuces and -cabbages. - -Sir Richard Carleton was in one of the conservatories, and seeing him, -Dick cried out-- - -"Father, these red things will turn into moths, and these greenish-white -ones into butterflies." - -"Yes, Dick, I know they will." - -"But you never told me so before, father." - -"Well, my boy, I never thought it would interest you, but I am very glad -it does interest you. This is Mary Merivale, I think. How do you do, my -dears? Come into the library all of you, and I will show you some books -on butterflies." - -They went into the house and had some tea and cake, and turned over the -pages of a book on entomology with coloured plates, which had lain dusty -and forgotten on the shelves until now, and Mary and her sister pointed -out to Dick moths and butterflies which their brother and Jimmy had in -their collection. - -Sir Richard saw with delight that the right chord had been touched in -his son's mind, and he no longer doubted the success of the experiment -he had urged Mr. Merivale to try. - -The time slipped rapidly away, and when it was high time to go, Mary and -Florrie were driven home by Sir Richard's groom, charmed with their -visit, and full of praises of Sir Richard and his son. - -Dick Carleton was eager to know more of entomology, and set to work at -once to read about it with an energy he had never displayed for anything -before, and the father wrote off to his booksellers to order a newer and -more reliable book upon the science than the one he possessed, to be -given to Dick. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - - Building the Yacht.--The Launch.--Great Crested Grebe's nest.-- - A Floating Coot's nest.--Golden Crested Wrens.-- - Their Migration.--The Flight of a Heron. - - -When Dick Carleton arrived at Mr. Merivale's to commence the visit which -was to initiate the friendship of the boys, Frank and Jimmy were at the -boat-house; and as soon as Dick had been welcomed by Mr. and Mrs. -Merivale, Mary took him off to the boat-house to introduce him to Frank -and Jimmy, and see that he was shown their collections. When they opened -the door they saw the two boys busy at the table, with sheets of paper -and drawing instruments before them. Dick felt and looked rather shy and -nervous, but Frank's hearty greeting put him at his ease. Mary proceeded -to do the honour of the place, and walked Dick about from side to side -of the room to show him their butterflies and birds' eggs, stuffed -birds, and the other natural history curiosities which the boys had -collected, while they were followed by Frank and Jimmy, who smiled at -her eagerness. They had a very fair collection of eggs, including most -of the common kinds, but their collection of butterflies was not so -good, as neither Frank nor Jimmy cared so much for entomology as they -did for ornithology. - -"What are all these plans and drawings for?" said Mary, pointing to the -litter on the table. - -"Shall we tell her Jimmy?" said Frank. - -"Yes, why not? She will know some time, so she may as well know now. -Besides, she can help us to make the sails, you know. We sha'n't do the -sewing so well as the wood-work." - -So the great project of the yacht was explained. Mary danced about the -room in glee, and already fancied herself sailing about the broad. Dick -said-- - -"If it can be done, it would be the nicest thing one could think of." - -"It shall be done," said Frank decisively, and Dick looked up at him -with admiring envy, and replied-- - -"Then I will help you all I can, and go shares with you in the expense." - -"You are a brick," said Frank; "come and look at our plans, and see if -you can make any suggestions." - -Later on, when Frank and Jimmy were left alone, Frank said-- - -"He'll do, Jimmy." - -Jimmy said, "Yes," but looked mournful. - -"What's the matter, Jimmy?" - -"Two are company, but three are none; and you may like him better than -me." - -Frank's hand descended heavily on his friend's shoulder, and he shook -him roughly. - -"Don't be a fool, Jimmy," was all that he said, but in spite of the rude -speech and the rough action, Jimmy saw a meaning beyond, and was quite -satisfied. His face grew bright again, and from that time forward a warm -friendship existed between the three boys, and was never broken or -disturbed by any twinge of jealousy. - -[Illustration: BUILDING THE BOAT.] - -They lost no time in commencing to build the boat. The first thing to be -done was to make two long pontoons or floats, on which to erect the -superstructure of the yacht. This was a comparatively easy matter. They -made two long wooden boxes of the following sizes and dimensions. Each -box was twenty-four feet long, four feet wide in the middle portion and -tapering off at each end to a fine point, and two feet six inches deep. -It was made of one-inch deal, and strongly supported and fastened -together by ribs and cross-pieces of wood in the interior. The seams -were caulked with tow and a mixture of red and white lead, and then -covered or protected by slips of wood nailed along them. These two -pontoons were then laid on the ground side by side with a space of three -feet six inches between their centres. They were then joined together by -strong pieces of wood fastened the whole way across, every two feet. On -the top of these again, a flooring of planks was laid, and neatly -finished off round the edges with a bulwark of rope stretched on iron -uprights. On this was erected a cabin three feet six inches in height, -nine feet long and seven feet wide. This was fitted with a door at the -aft end, and a row of little windows along each side. Inside were two -low broad seats, which were also intended to serve as beds when occasion -should require. - -Each pontoon was fitted with a rudder and a helm, and these were -connected by a cross-piece of wood, so that both rudders were worked at -once. On this cross-piece were two iron loops, that the steersman, -holding on by them, might have greater power over the helm. Each pontoon -had a strong keel about two inches deep to protect its bottom from -injury. Such a keel was not sufficient to enable the boat to sail to -windward, so two drop-keels or centre-boards were added, each about -seven feet long and two feet six inches deep. These were fixed in a line -along the centre two-thirds of the boat, and worked on strong pivots at -their foremost corners, so that by means of chains attached to their aft -corners and passing through holes in the deck they could be let down to -any required depth, or hauled up in the space between the pontoons. - -These were intended to give the yacht a greater hold on the water when -beating to windward. The main-mast was stepped close to the bows. Its -lower part was weighted with lead and iron, and was so arranged that if -it were requisite to pass under low bridges, the mast could be lowered -and raised with great facility, working on a fulcrum three feet six -inches from the deck. There was no bowsprit, but the fore-stay was made -fast to the cross-piece connecting the bows. The mizen-mast was attached -to a cross-piece at the stern, and the mizen-sail was worked by a sheet -rove through a block at the end of a fixed boom. The main-sail was a -lug-sail with a large boom, and did not require to be dipped every time -a tack was made. - -The above is a description of the yacht when completed, but it must not -be supposed that it was made straight off with no labour. On the -contrary, it took an immensity of time and labour before it was -completed. The three boys worked at it manfully, Frank taking the lead -and doing the major portion of the work. Indeed, they would have given -it up many times had it not been for his pluck and determination. -Unforeseen difficulties fast presented themselves, and cost them no -little thought to overcome. When they had got the two pontoons and the -flooring done, they fell short of cash, and for two or three days they -went about very disconsolately, until Dick informed them that his -father's gardener was about to demolish a summer-house in the garden, -and that they might have the wood. This enabled them to make the cabin, -and by dint of keeping their eyes open, and picking up every scrap of -wood or iron, and every nail or screw which they came across, they got -along pretty well until Frank's quarter-day came, and he received his -allowance of pocket-money. Mr. Merivale, who of course soon found out -what they were after, laughingly said that they went about with such -greedy eyes, and looked so suspiciously at everything, that he was -afraid they might take a fancy to some part of him, as being useful for -some part of their boat. - -[Illustration: A YARMOUTH YAWL.] - -At last they had everything ready but the sails, and then they had an -unexpected stroke of good luck. Dick discovered in an old lumber loft, a -complete set of sails belonging to a yawl-rigged yacht which was -formerly the property of his grandfather. These his father willingly -gave to him. Although so old they were strong, and they were speedily -converted into sails for the yacht. Then the yacht was painted white, -and a small flat-bottomed punt with pointed bows was made to accompany -her, and all was ready for launching. - -By this time the land was green with spring, and the boys had commenced -their studies with Mr. Meredith the Rector,--a clever, sensible -Welshman, just the man to attract and manage three such boys as ours. - -Saturday, being a holiday, was fixed for the launching, and the boys -were at Bell's yard by six o'clock in the morning, getting everything in -readiness for the great event, and excited with the thought of a long -day's sail in a yacht of their own making. - -It was a warm, bright morning. The hedges were shining with a most -brilliant green, and clothed in places with the creamy white of the -hawthorn blossoms. The broad lay still and placid in the sunlight, and -the pairing water-birds swam in and out of its reed-fringed margin, and -from one to another of its dense 'ronds,' or islands of reeds. - -"There is not a breath of wind," said Frank, wetting his finger, and -holding it up, to feel if possible by the increased coldness on one side -or another, from which quarter the wind was blowing. - -"I think there's a slight air from the south," he said. - -"Yes," replied Bell, "it will blow from the south or west to-day, if it -blows at all, and I think from the look of those little fleecy clouds, -that there will be a breeze before long." - -"Well, I am sure the ancient mariner never longed for a breeze as much -as we do now to try our beautiful boat with," said Frank; "but by the -way, what shall we call her? We have never thought of a name for her." -Dick replied: - -"Call her the _Swan_, because like the Swan on 'sweet St. Mary's Lake,' -she will float _double_." - -"Bravo! that is not bad. We will call her the _Swan_ then; but come, let -us launch her." - -They set to work with a will, and, aided by Bell, they quickly had her -on the water. Jumping on board, they felt the delight of being on board -their own handiwork. They pushed the yacht along the narrow channel, -which was barely wide enough for it, until they came to its outlet into -the broad, and then they found their progress barred. A little -promontory of rushes ran out across the dyke, and on the end of this -promontory was a coot's nest containing eight eggs. It was necessary to -cut away the promontory before the boat could pass into the open broad. -They were loath to destroy the nest, so they carefully moved it from its -position; and as it was very large and substantial, they allowed it to -float, thinking the old bird would come and fix it herself. Then with -beating hearts they hoisted their sails. Frank went to the helm, Jimmy -took the main-sail sheet, and Dick the mizen sheet, while Bell sat on -the cabin and whistled for a wind. - -"I am sure the leaves of the trees are rustling a little bit," said -Dick. - -"And I think I see a ripple on the water," said Jimmy. - -Frank looked back and saw that they were already fifty yards from the -shore, and that they were rapidly increasing the distance. - -"Why, look! she sails fast, without any wind at all," he said; but then -they became sensible that there was a slight zephyr from the south, -which increased as they got out more into the open water. A ripple arose -on the water, and the yacht sailed faster. A cheer broke from the boys -as they saw their efforts were crowned with success. The breeze -increased, and they sped along more quickly, passing over acres of -shallow water that sparkled as clear as glass over the bright yellow -gravel. Immense shoals of bream and perch, and many large pike, darted -away from them as they sailed on, and the _Swan_ slipped as softly -through the water as they could desire. They went the whole length of -the broad, and then Frank cried out-- - -"Stand by, we are going about; haul in her sheet;" and putting the helm -over, the yacht swung round like a top, and went across on the port tack -up the broad. - -They put about again across to the reed bed, and after one more tack -they came within hail of the boat-house, where they could see Mary and -Florrie waiting for them, and waving their handkerchiefs. Frank took his -"line" steadily, and ran her up in the wind's eye within ten yards of -the boat-house; and Dick took the punt ashore for the two girls, who -were loud in their expressions of delight and amazement. With this -addition to their party they cruised about the broad for some hours, -learning how to handle their craft, and gaining confidence in her. -Towards noon it came on to blow very hard, and they landed Mary and -Florrie, and set to work to enjoy themselves the more thoroughly as the -breeze grew stronger. The boat behaved admirably. She was as steady as a -rock, heeling over but very slightly even when the breeze blew strong on -her beam. She came about well, and if she hung fire or was in danger of -missing stays they had only to haul on the mizen-sheet, and her head -went round "in a jiffy." She drew little more than a foot of water, so -could, when her keels were drawn up, pass over the shallowest part of -the broad in safety. - -"I say, this is fine," said Jimmy, rubbing his hands. Frank said -nothing, but his kindling eye and satisfied look showed how thoroughly -he enjoyed it all. - -While making a long tack across the broad, they ran across a straggling -bed of rushes at a shallow portion. They offered but little resistance -to their passage, but as they charged through them, Frank cried out-- - -"I say, we passed over a great crested grebe's nest. I saw the eggs roll -out into the water;" and he ran the boat into the wind and let her drift -back stern foremost to the spot where the nest had been. - -"It was only a lump of rotting weed, all broken and dirty," said Dick. - -"That's what all grebe's nests look like," answered Frank; "they cover -them with reeds when they leave them, so that no one can see the eggs, -and few would think there were any there. Here's the place, drive the -boat-hook in and hold the boat steady while I get up the eggs. There -were five, but two are broken. What a pity! We don't want any for our -collection, and the birds look so pretty on the broad, that it is a -shame to disturb them, but we must take them now I suppose. Let's go -back and see how the coot's nest is getting on." - -They sailed back some way, and then to their great surprise, they saw -the coot's nest floating across the broad, and the old bird swimming -round it, and evidently very much puzzled to know what to do. - -"Let us tack near her and watch," said Jimmy. So they sailed round at a -distance and watched the poor bird, which followed its boat-like nest as -it drifted before the wind. At length the boys were pleased to see the -bird make an effort to get on the nest, and so strongly built was it -that it bore her weight well. There she sat, and sailed before the wind -at a fair pace. - -"Did you ever see the like of that before?" - -"No," answered Bell, "but I warrant you that the eggs must have been -hard set, and near to being hatched, or she would never have done that." - -"She deserves to hatch them, at any rate. Had we better fix the nest or -leave it alone?" - -"Better leave it alone; I think she will stick to it if it does not sink -below her." - -[Illustration: THE COMMON COOT.] - -On Monday evening the boys sailed about the broad in search of the -floating coot's nest, and found it among the reeds at the north end of -the broad, and from the broken egg-shells in it they had no doubt but -that the coot had hatched her young ones in safety, as she deserved to -do. - -After landing Bell they ran the yacht into a 'rond' of reeds, and -proceeded to eat their dinner, which they had brought with them, and -very happy and comfortable they were. The sun shone brightly, the warm -wind rustled through the reeds and flags, the sky and the water were -blue, their boat was a success, and they sat and talked of cruises, and -planned expeditions, and were as merry and jolly as any boys need desire -to be. - -While they were talking, half-a-dozen tiny little gold-crested wrens -alighted on the cordage of the mast. They seemed very tame and tired, -and descended to the deck to eat some crumbs which were thrown to them. - -[Illustration: COMMON WREN AND EGG.] - -"What pretty little things they are, with their fiery yellow heads," -said Frank. "To think a tiny bird like that could make a long migration! -These birds have only just arrived, that's clear." - -"Do gold crests migrate?" asked Jimmy. - -"Yes, they go south for the winter, and come back again in the spring. I -don't know how far they go, but they have been taken some distance from -land. More probably, however, these have been blown from the coast, for -I don't think they cross the sea as a rule." - -As they returned homeward, the boys in running round a point of reeds, -came upon a heron, which scuttled away in great haste, and in a very -undignified manner. It seemed at first as if they should catch him, as -they followed him so closely, but as he got fairly away, he rose in the -air and distanced them. - -"How slowly he flaps his wings," said Dick. - -"How many times a minute do you think he flaps them?" asked Jimmy. - -[Illustration: HERON.] - -"Just about forty, at the outside," replied Dick. - -"Well, do you count, while I time you," and Jimmy took out his watch and -marked the time, while Dick counted one, two, three, &c. - -When he had counted 120 Jimmy said-- - -"Stop, the minute is up. Aren't you astonished?" - -"I am, and no mistake. How deceptive his flight is, and just fancy at -what a pace must the wings of the smaller birds go!" - -They brought the yacht to anchor in front of the boat-house, and went -home to relate the adventures of their voyage. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - - Mr. Meredith.--"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy - might."--A Botanical Lecture.--The Goat Moth.--Blowing up a Tree.-- - An astonished Cow.--Caterpillars in the Wood. - - -On the morrow, after morning service, the three boys (Dick having been -invited to spend the day with Frank) were walking from church and -talking upon the sermon which Mr. Meredith had just preached to them. - -It was a beautiful morning--one of those days on which it is a treat to -live. The sun shone from a sky which was brilliant in its blue and -white, the waters of the lake sparkled diamond-like under the stirring -influence of a warm westerly wind. The scent of the honeysuckle and the -roses in the cottage gardens filled the air with pleasant incense, and -from every tall tree-top a thrush or blackbird sang his merriest. - -"That wasn't a bad motto which Meredith took for his text: 'Whatsoever -thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might,'" said Frank. - -"I think it is a motto you endeavour to carry out, Frank," answered -Jimmy. - -"Well, I think if a fellow does that he can't be far wrong," replied -Frank; "but here is the parson himself." - -A tall, broad-shouldered man came quickly up and said to them: - -"Well, boys, I hope you are applying my sermon to yourselves." - -"We should be glad to do so if we were quite sure about the application, -Mr. Meredith," replied Frank. - -"Ah, you young rascal, you could not have been attending; but seriously, -what I meant was this: You boys, and especially Master Frank, are very -prone to take up a thing with all your might when once you begin. Now -that is very right and proper. Whatever you do you should do your best -to do well; but what I want you particularly to understand is that -before taking up a thing, you should first of all think well and decide -whether it is the right thing to do, and it is not until that question -is settled that it becomes right to throw your whole heart into it. Now -the immediate application of this is this: You are going head over heels -into the study of Natural History, and you are making collections as -fast as you can. Now it won't take you long to decide that Natural -History is a very right and proper thing for you to take up, and -therefore you may study it with all your might, and, I doubt not, to the -praise and glory of God; but be very careful about the collecting part -of the business. Don't let your zeal carry you too far. Don't let -collecting be your sole aim and object, or you will become very low -types of naturalists. Let it be only secondary and subservient to -observation. Let your aim be to preserve rather than to destroy. -Remember that God gave life to His creatures that they might enjoy it, -as well as fulfil their missions and propagate their species. Therefore -if you come across a rare bird, do not kill it unnecessarily; if you can -observe its living motions it will interest you more and do you more -good than will the possession of its stuffed body when dead." - -"I quite understand what you mean, sir," replied Frank; "and it is only -what my father has often told me before. We will try to follow our -pursuits in moderation." - -"Just so; then, as you have heard me so patiently, I will trouble you -with another application of my sermon. Do what you are doing _well_. -Don't let your observation be too cursory. Don't be Jacks of all trades -and masters of none. This district is teeming with bird, insect, and -animal life. You boys have peculiar opportunities for learning and -discovering all that is rare and interesting. You are sharp, young, and -active, and nothing can escape you. Now is the time for you to store up -facts which will always be valuable. Buy yourselves notebooks; put down -everything in writing which seems to you to be strange and noteworthy, -and don't trust to your memories. But above all, take up some one branch -of study and stick to it. It is well for you to know a little of -everything, but it is better for you to know a great deal of one thing. -Therefore I should advise each of you to take up a line that suits him -and to pay particular attention to it. Thus you, Frank, may take up -Ornithology; you, Dick, should go in for Entomology; and Jimmy, why -should you not take up Botany?" - -The boys quite concurred in the justice of his observations, but Jimmy -said: - -"There is nothing I should like better than to know something of Botany, -but there seems so much to learn that I am almost afraid to begin." - -"Oh, nonsense," exclaimed Mr. Meredith; "let me give you a first lesson -in it now. I suppose you know the names of all the most common flowers; -but just look at their beauty. See how this hedge-bank is yellow with -primroses, and yonder you see the faint blue of the violets peeping from -their bed of dark-green leaves, and here is the white blossom of a -strawberry, which I pluck to show you of what a flower consists. First -there is the root, through which it draws its nourishment from the -earth. Then there is the stem, and on the top of that is this green -outer whorl or circle of leaves, which is called the calyx. Within the -calyx is the corolla, which is formed of petals, which in this case are -of a beautiful white. The corolla is the part in which the colour and -beauty of a flower generally resides. Within the corolla are the -stamens, and within the stamens are the pistils. The stamens and the -pistils are the organs of reproduction, and the yellow dust or pollen -which you see on most flowers is the medium by which the seeds are -fertilized. Now this flower which I have just plucked is the -wood-sorrel. Notice its threefold emerald-green leaf and the delicate -white flower with the purple veins. It is pretty, is it not? See, if I -strike it roughly, it shrinks and folds up something like a sensitive -plant. It is a capital weather-glass. At the approach of rain both its -flowers and leaves close up, and even if a cloud passes over the sun the -flowers will close a little; and, finally, its leaves taste of a -pleasant acid. There, you will have had enough of my lecture for the -present, but I should like to tell you more about flowers some other -time." - -The boys were both pleased and interested with what he had told them, -and expressed their thanks accordingly; and then Mr. Meredith left them -and went home to dinner. - -"I say, he is a brick of a fellow," said Jimmy; "if all parsons were -like that man everybody else in the world would have a better time of -it." - -They went into the boat-house and sat at the open window looking over -the sparkling broad. Frank said: - -"I tell you what we must do. We must get Meredith to give us part of -our holiday at the end of May or beginning of June, and we will take a -cruise over all the rivers and broads of Norfolk and Suffolk. We could -do it nicely in three weeks and scour every inch of the country in that -time. What do you say? I will undertake to get my father's consent and -Mrs. Brett's. What will Sir Richard say, Dick?" - -"If you go, Frank, I am sure he will let me go; he has every confidence -in you, and that you will keep us all out of mischief." - -"I will try. Then it is agreed that we go." - -"Most certainly. Frank will go in for birds'-nesting, Dick will catch -butterflies and moths, and I must try to do something in the way of -botany." - -"And now it is time to go in; but before we go I just want to say that -there is an old willow-tree down by the Broad which father thinks is an -eyesore. I think that it is a likely tree in which to find the -caterpillars of the goat-moth, which you know live on the wood of a -willow, and eat long tunnels and galleries in it. What do you say to -blowing the tree up with gunpowder?--it is only good for firewood, and -perhaps we may find some caterpillars. Shall we get up early in the -morning, bore a big hole into the heart of the tree, and fill it with -gunpowder, set a train to it, and blow the whole affair up?" - -Such a proposal was sure to meet with consent, and at seven o'clock the -next morning the boys were down at the tree, boring a large hole into -it. - -The caterpillar of the great goat-moth feeds upon the wood of timber -trees, notably oak, willow, and poplar. He is a smooth, ugly fellow of a -red and yellow colour, with black feet and claws. He makes extensive -galleries through the heart of a tree, eating and swallowing all that he -gnaws away from the wood in his onward passage. - -During the summer he eats his way slowly through the tree, making -numerous and winding galleries; but during the autumn and winter he -takes a siesta, first casing himself in a strong covering made of chips -of wood and the silk which he weaves. The next summer he renews his -work, and so he lives and grows for the space of three years, and then -turns into the pupæ state, and emerges about July a dark brown but not -unlovely moth, which lives for a few weeks and then lays its eggs and -dies. - -The boring was completed and was rammed full of coarse powder, and the -mouth of the hole plugged up with a piece of wood. Through this plug a -small hole was bored, and through this a long hollow straw made into a -fuse was inserted. - -Setting fire to this, they retired to some distance to await the issue -of their experiment. - -There was unfortunately a cow in the same meadow, and this cow was very -much interested in their movements; so when they left the tree the cow -approached, its curiosity the more aroused by the smoke rising from the -burning fuse. - -"Now there is an instance of unreasoning curiosity which animals -possess. That cow will poke her nose into that tree, and get blown up -for her pains if we don't stop her. Let's shy stones at her." - -But stones in that marshy meadow were not easy to procure, so they tore -up clods of earth and threw them at the cow. She scampered away, but -went to the other side of the tree and again approached it. The boys -dared not go any nearer to the old willow, because they momentarily -expected the explosion, and they were in a great fright lest the cow -should suffer damage. Just then, with a loud report and much smoke the -powder exploded. They threw themselves down to avoid any errant -fragments, and the cow scampered off unhurt, but exceedingly astonished -and frightened, jumped the ditch which separated the meadow from the -next one, and finally landed herself in another ditch, from which she -had to be drawn with ropes and a vast deal of trouble by some of the -neighbours. - -The first thought of the boys was to see after the cow, and when they -saw she was in a fair way of being pulled out, they returned to their -tree, and found it split and torn to pieces and thrown about in all -directions. It was quite a chance whether they found any caterpillars in -the tree or not, and, to tell the truth, they hardly expected to be -successful in their search. What was their delight then to find, that -not only were there caterpillars there, but a great number of them. -Three or four they found dead and mangled by the force of the explosion, -but the many perforations in the wood showed that there were many more -caterpillars there. With the aid of a saw and axe they dug out several -caterpillars not yet full grown, and also several pupæ which they knew -would be out in two months' time. They carried some large pieces of the -wood up to the boat-house for living caterpillars to feed on, and -reinserted the pupæ in their wooden chambers, where they were safely -kept until their appearance in July. - -The caterpillars of the white butterflies which Dick had collected under -Mary's instructions had some time since come out, and it was a very -pretty sight to see the chrysalis split at the head and the insect creep -out with its wings all wet and crumpled, and then to watch them -gradually expand to their full size and dry and harden, until the -perfect insect was ready for flight, when with a few flaps of its wings, -as if to try them, it would launch into the sunshine with a strong swift -flight. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - - A Trial Sail.--Preparing for a Cruise.--Charging a Reed Bed.-- - An explosion of Birds.--The First Adventure.-- - Orange-Tip Butterfly.--No Salt.--How Salt is obtained. - - -The project of the cruise was not allowed to drop. The more the boys -thought about it the more they determined to take it. The first thing to -do was to obtain the consent of their elders. Mr. Merivale had no great -objection to it. Sir Richard Carleton was so pleased with the rapid -improvement in the health and spirits of his son that he would have -consented to anything he proposed. Indeed, he was so anxious to help the -boys in all their undertakings, that he would have spoilt them too much -had it not been for the advice of Mr. Merivale, who said to him-- - -"Don't let the boys think they can have anything they like for the -asking, or you will spoil their independence of character. Depend upon -it they will find far more delight in making things for themselves than -in having them bought for them, and it will do them more good." - -Sir Richard saw the wisdom of this advice, but he insisted upon giving -them a book on botany; and one day when the boys went into the -boat-house they saw on the shelves a nicely bound copy of Ann Pratt's -_Flowering Plants of Great Britain_ in six volumes. This was a great -acquisition to them, and Jimmy, in the fulness of his delight, got upon -the table with a volume under each arm, and executed a war-dance of -exultation. - -The consent of the ladies was far harder to obtain. Mrs. Brett said she -would see what Mrs. Merivale said; and Mrs. Merivale was afraid that it -would not be safe, and for some days she hung back, and would not say -"yes" or "no," although Frank pleaded hard with her. His mother was very -much afraid of the water. She did not like to see yachts heeling over as -if they were going to be upset, and she thought the boys were not old -enough to manage a yacht by themselves. Frank at last persuaded her to -take a sail in the _Swan_, and see for herself how safe it was, and a -day was fixed when everyone should have a sail on the Broad, and try the -capacities both of the yacht and of the boys as sailors. When the day -arrived, however, Frank put them off, saying it was not convenient. Mr. -Merivale smiled as he guessed the reason. It was blowing a stiff breeze, -and sailing on such a day would not reassure a timid woman. The next -day, however, was fine, and came with a gentle breeze, just rippling the -surface of the water, and with a confident air, Frank got his party on -board. The sail was quite a success. The yacht glided about on an even -keel, and Frank, who was at the helm, carefully avoided any abrupt -motion in tacking or gybing. - -"You see it is quite safe, mother," said he. - -"Yes, my dear, I suppose it is, and I suppose you must go, as you have -set your heart upon it; but how can you possibly think of sleeping in -that small cabin?" - -"One of us will sleep at each side, and the third will sleep in a -hammock stretched across the middle." - -"But you will be suffocated, dear." - -"Have no fear, mother, we will see to the ventilation." - -So they obtained permission to go, and, as time was an object, they set -to work with great vigour to prepare for their voyage. They made a -hammock out of an old sail. Their beds were formed of cushions placed on -the bunks on either side of the cabin. To prevent the necessity of -tucking in their bedclothes they adopted a well-known dodge of -yachtsmen; which is to double the sheets and blankets, and sew the -sides and bottoms together, so as to form a bag into which they could -creep. They took fishing-tackle with them, and also their old muzzle -loader. Dick took his butterfly net, Jimmy a quantity of newspapers in -which to dry plants, and Frank an opera-glass, with which to watch the -movements of birds at a distance. Frank also took care to see to the -eating department, and with his mother's help he got a very fair stock -of provisions on board. The day at length arrived for their departure. -It was the Monday in the last week of May. At eight o'clock in the -morning they bade farewell to Mary and Florrie, who had come to see them -off, hoisted their sails, and away they went before a light breeze from -the northward. A cheer broke from them as they found themselves fairly -afloat, and the boat-house grow smaller in the distance behind them, and -the waving handkerchiefs of the two girls could be seen no longer. It -was a beautiful morning, and their spirits were high. Holidays, sport, -and adventure lay before them, a stout boat under them. There were no -three happier boys in the world. - -They sailed slowly through the narrow outlet of Hickling Broad into -Whiteslea Pool, and through another narrow passage into Heigham Sounds. - -A dyke called the Old Meadow Dyke ran from the Broad on the left into -Horsey Mere; and Frank proposed making a detour along this and exploring -Horsey Mere, but the other boys were too anxious to get on. It was too -near home to begin to explore. In the middle of Heigham Sounds, which is -a good sized sheet of water, was a large bed of reeds, such as is -locally called a 'rond.' - -"Let us go slap-dash into that. We shall be sure to find some nests," -said Frank. - -"All right," said both Jimmy and Dick. So Frank put the helm up, and the -yacht drove on before the wind, surging through the rustling reeds, -which bowed and bent before her, until she came to a standstill well -into the heart of the rond. - -"Down with the sails," said Frank, and the halyards were let go and the -sails came down with a run. As the yacht crashed into the rond there was -quite an explosion of birds from it. Water-hens, coots, and marsh-tits -flew out on both sides, and from the centre of it rose a little duck -with a bright, chestnut-coloured head and neck. - -"That is a teal," said Frank, "we shall find her nest here, so look -carefully." - -They jumped into the shallow water, having first taken off their shoes -and stockings, and began to hunt about for nests. They speedily found -several coots' and water-hens' nests, and also a dab-chick's; but they -wanted none of these, and continued their search for the teal's nest. At -last-- - -"Here it is," said Dick delightedly, and sure enough there the nest was, -in a small bush which grew in the very centre of the rond, where the -soil was pretty firm. The nest was large and thickly lined with -feathers, and it contained twelve cream-coloured eggs. They took six of -them, and then, satisfied with their spoil, they went back to their -yacht, and tried to push her off again. But this was no easy task. They -pushed and pushed, until they were exhausted, and the only effect their -pushing seemed to have was to push their own legs deeper into the mud. -The yacht refused to be moved. - -"Well, this is a pretty go, to be wrecked at the very beginning of our -cruise! We have run her almost high and dry. How they will laugh at us -at home!" said Jimmy. - -"They sha'n't have the chance of doing that. We will get her off somehow -or other. We ought to have gone to leeward of the rond, and run her up -in the wind's eye into it, and then we could have backed her off with -the sails," said Frank. - -"Live and learn," said Dick. "I vote we strip and go overboard again and -try to lift her off. We can get the oars from the boat, and use them as -levers." - -This was undoubtedly the best thing to do, and although the water was -not over warm, they took off their clothes and worked and pushed away, -until they made the mud around the yacht as soft as a pudding, and -themselves as black as negroes. Then the yacht moved a little, and -putting forth all their strength they shoved her back into deeper water. -Not waiting to dress themselves, they ran the sails up and steered away -for the Kendal Dyke at the south-east end of the Broad. They meant to -stay at the mouth of the Broad to bathe and dress. There was no one to -see them, so it did not matter. As they neared the mouth of the dyke, to -their great dismay a yacht with several people on board came out of it. -The people stared in blank astonishment at the strange double-bodied -yacht and her still stranger crew. Jimmy and Dick dived at once into -the cabin. Frank could not leave the helm, and yet could not stay where -he was; so without further thought he plunged into the water at the -stern of the yacht, and, holding on by the rudder, he contrived to keep -her on her course until Jimmy reappeared with something thrown over him, -and took hold of the tiller. When they came to an anchorage in a -secluded spot among the reeds, they bathed and dressed. - -"Well," said Dick, "if we go on having adventures at this rate, we shall -have plenty to tell when we get home." - -"I like adventures, but these are not the sort I like," said Jimmy. - -"Well, never mind, better luck next time," said Frank, soothingly. - -Sailing through Kendal Dyke, which in places was so narrow that the -_Swan_ brushed the reeds on both sides as she passed through, they -reached the Hundred Stream, and, turning to the south-westward, they -sailed, with no further adventure, until they came to Heigham Bridge, -where they had to lower their masts in order to get through. While Frank -and Jimmy did this, Dick took his butterfly net, and went after an -orange-tip butterfly, which he saw flying past. This butterfly is one of -the first which makes its appearance in the spring, and it is one of the -prettiest. It looks as if a bunch of red and white rose petals had taken -to themselves wings and fled. It is a small butterfly, having an -orange-red tip on the ends of its forewings. The male only has this -ornament. The female has only a greyish black tip. The under surface of -the wings of this pretty insect is no less beautiful than the upper. It -is white, with bright green marblings, or what appear as bright green to -the naked eye. When looked at through the microscope it will be found -that the green appearance is caused by the mixture of black and -bright-yellow scales. (I suppose that most of my boy readers will know -that the dust which is so easily rubbed off a butterfly's wings is in -reality a coating of scales arranged one over the other like feathers -and of very exquisite shapes.) The caterpillar of the orange-tip is -green, with a white stripe on each side, and the chrysalis is very -peculiar in shape, tooth-like, and pointed at both ends. - -[Illustration: ORANGE-TIP BUTTERFLY.] - -Dick was a long time away; and when he came back, flushed with -exercise, he had no less than eight orange-tips in his net, which he -proceeded to kill and set there and then. - -They sailed on very slowly, for the breeze had fallen, until they came -to the Thurne Mouth, and then they turned up the Bure until they came to -St. Benedict's Abbey, the ruins of which stand on the northern bank of -the river. Here they determined to camp for the night, and accordingly -ran their boat into a marshy creek, and made her fast to the reeds. They -were much amused at the remarks of the people whom they passed, whether -on the bank or on board the wherries and yachts. The like of the _Swan_ -had never before been seen on Norfolk waters. She was a _rara avis in -terris_ and excited any amount of appreciatory and depreciatory comment. - -After making the boat snug and comfortable, the boys proceeded to cook -their dinner. They brought out from the lockers some cold beef and ham, -and boiled the potatoes in a small tin saucepan over the spirit-lamp. -The meal was soon ready, and they sat down to it with most excellent -appetites. - -"Where have you put the salt, Frank?" asked Dick. - -"The salt?" replied Frank, thoughtfully. - -"Yes, the salt." - -"Well, let me see. Dear me, we must have forgotten it." - -"But Frank, how can you--how can anybody eat beef without salt?" said -Jimmy reproachfully. - -"Never mind, we will get some to-morrow," said Frank, looking guilty. - -"There are no shops about here, and there are no salt-mines in the -marsh," said Jimmy, who refused to be comforted. - -"Talking about salt-mines, have you ever been down one?" said Frank, who -was eager to turn the subject. - -"No; have you?" - -"Yes, and a jolly sort of place it is." - -"Then tell us all about it as a punishment." - -"It was at Northwich, in Cheshire, last year, when I was on a visit to -my uncle. We drove over one day to look at the mines. They get an -enormous quantity of salt from that district, and it is of two kinds, -the white table salt and that dark lumpy salt they put in fields for -cattle. They get the white salt from brine-pits, which are full of salt -water. The water is pumped up and put into basins until it evaporates, -and the white salt is left behind. There must be big holes in the earth -filled with salt water, for as it is pumped away the surface of the -earth caves in, and the houses lean against each other in a very -tumble-down sort of fashion. The brown or rock-salt is dug out of mines, -and we went down one of these. My cousin and I went down in a tub hardly -large enough to hold us, and a workman clung to the rope above our -heads. The shaft was dirty, narrow, and crooked, and we bumped finely -against the sides. I didn't like it at all, I assure you; and when we -cleared the shaft and hung suspended over a vast cavern, at the bottom -of which were some dim lights, I felt rather in a funk. The man below -reached up to us with a long pole, and pulled us away from the end of -the shaft for fear of falling stones, and then we were lowered to the -ground, and stepped out of the bucket and looked about us. We were in a -very large cave, the roof of which was supported by immense square -pillars of the salt rock. It was brown, of course, but it was quite -translucent, and the light gleamed from it very prettily. Our guide lit -a piece of magnesium-wire, and I never saw anything so magnificent in my -life. The whole place seemed set with precious stones, and the dirty, -half-naked men, leaning on their tools, looked as picturesque as you -could well imagine. Then one of the men had finished boring a blast -hole, and we waited while he filled it with powder and fired a shot. We -all huddled in one corner of the cave, and then there was such a roar -and smoke! The rock under our feet heaved and shook, and pieces of rock -and stone flew about far too near for my liking." - -"I never knew how salt was got before," said Dick. - -"Nor I," said Jimmy; "and as Frank has told us so well we will forgive -him for forgetting the salt." - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - - An Eerie Night.--A Ghostly Apparition.--The Barn Owl.-- - A Will-o'-the Wisp.--The Ruff and Reeve.--Snaring Ruffs.-- - A Nest.--Wroxham Broad.--Mud-boards and Leaping-pole.-- - Wild Duck's Nest in a Tree. - - -As the night fell the wind rose and moaned dismally over the marsh, and -black clouds covered the sky, so that the night promised to be dirtier -than usual at this time of the year. Lonely marshes stretched far and -wide, with nothing to break their wild monotony save the ghostlike ruins -of the Abbey in the foreground. It was not a pleasant night for the boys -to spend out for the first time alone, and an eerie sort of feeling -crept over them in spite of their efforts to appear at ease. - -At length Dick said-- - -"I feel as if wild beasts were prowling about on the watch for us, and -that if we went to sleep we should be eaten up alive." - -"So do I," admitted Frank; "but I suppose it will wear away in time. But -what is that?" he exclaimed, in a startled tone, as an unearthly cry -sounded among the ruins of the Abbey, and a white shape was dimly seen -gliding between the broken windows. - -The boys gazed in breathless silence at this apparition. The cause of -their alarm, however, was made plain to them, as a white owl came forth -on noiseless wings, and fluttered stealthily over the marsh. They -laughed heartily at their fright, but their laugh sounded forced and -unnatural. It was so weird and lonely outside, that they went into the -cabin and lit the lamp, and strove to make a cheerful supper. Then they -undressed and tried to make themselves comfortable for the night. Frank -took the hammock, and Dick and Jimmy the berths at each side. They left -the lamp burning dimly for company's sake, but they could not go to -sleep. The water lapping against the planks of the yacht and amid the -stems of the reeds, the wind sighing over the waste fen, and the -strange cries of the night-birds--the call of the water-hen, the hoarse -bark of the coot, the cackle of wild ducks, and the host of other noises -which they could not account for, kept them awake and on the _qui vive_. - -"What's that?" said Dick, after they had been quiet for some time. - -[Illustration: THE BARN OWL AND EGG.] - -A noise like a clap of thunder was to be heard, repeated at regular -intervals, and growing louder, as if approaching them. They rushed on -deck to see what was the cause of it, and were relieved to find that it -was only a belated wherry beating up to windward, her canvas flapping -each time she put about on a fresh tack. The men on board of her shouted -"Good night" as they passed, and after this the boys felt more -comfortable, and again courted sleep. They were just dropping off, when -"patter, patter," went something on deck. Some one, or some thing had -boarded them, and Frank went out to see what it was. A coot had come -aboard to see if there might be anything eatable there, and she flew -away as Frank appeared. He looked about ere he went down again, and to -his astonishment he saw a spot of light dancing about on the marshes in -a place where he thought no human being could be at this hour. - -"I say, Dick and Jimmy, here is a will-o'-the-wisp dancing about on the -marshes." - -They came quickly on deck, and watched the strange light, which now and -then disappeared, and then again became visible. It now shone bright, -and then faint, and an uncertain glimmer beneath it showed that it -hovered over the water as well as over the marsh. - -"There is no such thing as _ignis fatuus_ nowadays," said Jimmy, "so -what can it be?" - -"I vote we go and see," said Frank. - -"You will only get bogged if you do. It is dangerous enough to walk on -the marsh in the daylight, and almost impossible by night." - -"It strikes me there is a narrow channel, or dyke, leading from the -river, which may lead to where that light is. I saw a line of water -about twenty yards off. We passed it as we were about to anchor. Let us -take the boat and go up it, if you wish to see what it is," said Jimmy. - -His suggestion was approved of, and they dressed and stepped into the -punt, and after a little while they found the dyke and pushed their way -along it. They moved cautiously and with little noise, and at last -emerged upon a small open piece of water, and as they did so, the light -gleamed for a moment and went out. They peered eagerly through the -gloom, but could see nothing. All was silent and still, and very -uncanny. - -"It is no good staying here," said Frank; "let us go back and try to -sleep, or we shall not be fit to be seen to-morrow when we meet the -others at Wroxham." - -So they rowed back, wondering what the cause of the light had been. They -tumbled into their berths again and got just an hour's broken sleep -before the dawn effectually aroused them. It was very early, but they -had no choice but to rise and get something to eat. The morning was -bright and cloudless, the lark sang merrily in the sky, waterfowl swam -on the quiet stretches of the river in peaceful security, the freshness -and charm which always accompanies the early dawn of day in the country -had its natural effect upon them; and their spirits, which had been -somewhat depressed by the uncomfortable night which they had passed, -rose again to their natural height. Dick now suggested that they should -again explore the windings of the creek, and try to find out the cause -of the mysterious light which had so puzzled them the night before. They -accordingly rowed up the lane of water as they had done the previous -night, until they came to the piece of open water. Just as they were -about to emerge from the narrow opening in the belt of reeds which -surrounded it, Frank checked the motion of the boat by clutching hold of -the reeds, and warned his companions to be silent. Looking in the -direction in which he pointed, they saw the most curious bird they had -ever seen, or were ever likely to see. On a little hillock on the edge -of the reeds was a bird with a body like a thrush, but with long legs. -It had a long beak, staring eyes, brown tufts of feathers on each side -of its head, and a large flesh-coloured ruff of feathers round its neck. - -"I know what that is; it is a ruff," said Jimmy. - -"Yes, yes, but be quiet and watch it." - -They drew back behind the green fringe of reeds and watched the -movements of the ruff, for such it was. Its movements were as strange as -itself. It pranced up and down on the little hillock and fluttered its -wings, and uttered a defiant cry. It seemed as if it were particularly -desirous of attention from one spot in the marsh, for towards that spot -its glances and movements were directed. Looking more eagerly towards -this spot the boys saw a smaller bird, with no ruff around her neck, and -clad in sober brown. This was a female, or reeve, and the male was -showing himself off before her and trying to attract her attention, -while she, with the tantalising nature of her sex, appeared to be quite -unconscious of his blandishments, and went on composedly picking up her -breakfast from the insects and worms in the marsh. Presently another -ruff appeared on the scene, and, joining his rival on the little -hillock, he commenced to emulate his performances, and the two danced a -war-dance in the most amusing fashion, to the great delight of the three -observers. The natural consequence of this rivalry soon followed, and -the two ruffs began to fight in good earnest, laying hold of each other -with their bills, and striking with their wings. The one drove the other -to the bottom of the hill, and was apparently master of the field; but -instead of returning to his post on the top, he flew away, leaving his -adversary fluttering vainly, and evidently fast by the leg. Then the -rushes on the other side of the open space were pushed aside, and a man -in a rude boat made his appearance, and proceeded to seize the ruff and -kill it. - -"The mystery of the light is explained," said Frank. "Hallo! you there, -what are you doing that for?" - -The man started and looked round, answering surlily, - -"What's that to you?" - -"Oh, don't get into a wax. We only want to know for information's sake. -What will you sell that ruff for?" - -"Two shillings, sir," replied the man, in a much more civil tone. - -"Well, here you are. Are there many ruffs about here?" - -"No, sir, I have not seen any for the last two years until this spring. -They used to be common enough when I was a lad, and I have taken a score -in one morning with these snares. I have seen more than a dozen together -on one hill, and twice as many reeves around looking on. Those were fine -times for us fowlers, those were." - -The boys asked to be allowed to look at his snares. They were made of -horsehair, and were set in this fashion:--A length of hair with a -running noose at each end was fixed by the middle into the slit of a -peg, which was then driven into the ground. A number of these were set -round the base of the hill with the nooses projecting about an inch -above the surface of the herbage, and as the birds were driven off the -hill they were caught by them. It was necessary, the man said, to keep a -strict watch on the snares, for the birds sometimes broke away, or the -rats and weasels, of which there are plenty in the marshes, would be -beforehand with the fowler and seize the captured birds. - -"I suppose you were setting your snares last night?" - -"Ay, sir," replied the man, laughing; "I heard you coming after me, so I -put my light out. I did not know what sort of men you might be, and they -make believe to preserve these marshes now, and it is hard work for us -to get a living." - -"Don't you think there may be a ruff's nest somewhere about?" said -Jimmy. - -"I found one this morning with four eggs in it, but they are hard sat." - -"Never mind that, we can blow them, if you will show us where it is." - -"Get out of the boat, then, and come into this rond; but mind how you -walk. Put your foot on the roots of the reeds, or you will go up to your -middle in mud directly." - -The nest was made of coarse grass, and was placed in a clump of sedges. -It contained four eggs of an olive-green colour, spotted with brown. As -the man said that if they did not take them he should, and sell them for -what they would fetch, the boys felt no hesitation in plundering the -nest of all its contents, giving the man a gratuity of a shilling for -showing the nest to them. - -This commercial transaction completed, they returned to their yacht and -made a second breakfast. - -They had arranged to meet their elders at Wroxham Bridge at twelve -o'clock, and spend the rest of the day sailing and pic-nicking on the -Broad, so about ten o'clock they started. The breeze was light, as it -generally is in the summer; and as for a portion of the way they had to -beat to windward in a rather narrow channel, it took them some time to -reach Wroxham. - -They found that the _Swan_ was not so handy in tacking as a -single-hulled yacht would have been, and they had to use the mizen to -swing her round each time they put about. Their progress was, therefore, -slower than they had calculated upon, and they did not reach Wroxham -until 12.30. Their way was past Ranworth Broad and the two Hovetons, -besides some smaller broads, all connected with the river by dykes, half -hidden by tall reeds, and looking deliciously lonely, and inviting -exploration. Although they were so close they could see nothing of the -broads' surface, and their existence was only made manifest to them by -the white sails of yachts which were now and then to be seen gliding -hither and thither through forests of reeds. - -Sir Richard, Mr. and Mrs. Merivale, Mrs. Brett, Mary and Florrie, were -all waiting for them on the staithe by the bridge, and hailed their -appearance with joy. - -"Well, boys, we thought you were lost," said Mr. Merivale. - -"No fear, father," answered Frank; "the _Swan_ sails grandly, and we -have had no end of fun." - -"And how did you sleep last night? Wasn't it very lonely?" said his -mother. - -The boys unanimously affirmed that it had been most awfully jolly, and -that they had been most comfortable. - -Whilst the party were embarking, Frank went to the village carpenter's -and got a stout leaping-pole with a block of wood at the end, so that it -might not sink into the mud when they were jumping the ditches. He also -obtained a pair of mud boards to put on his feet when walking over soft -ground. These were pieces of wood a foot long by eighteen inches wide, -with rope loops to slip over the feet. He expected to find them useful -while bird-nesting on the marshes. - -They sailed at a good pace down the river, and then, while Mary was -asking where the Broad was, Frank put the helm over, and they sailed -through a narrow channel, on either side of which the reeds were seven -feet high, and while the question was still on Mary's lips, they were -gliding over the fine expanse of water which is known as Wroxham Broad. - -They had a very pleasant afternoon, and as the breeze was steady and the -yacht behaved herself very well, the two elder ladies lost much of the -nervousness with which they had regarded the boys' expedition. Dick was -much impressed with the loveliness of the Broad. On the one side the -woods came down to the water's edge, and on the other the wide marsh -stretched away miles on miles, with its waving reed beds, tracts of -white cotton-grasses, and many-coloured marsh grasses, which varied in -sheen and tint as the wind waved them or the cloud-shadows passed over -them. Here and there a gleam of white showed where the river or a broad -lay, but for the most part the whereabouts of water was only shown by -the brown sails of the wherries, or the snow-white sails of the yachts, -which glided and tacked about in a manner that seemed most mysterious, -seeing that there was no water visible for them to float on. - -At one end of Wroxham Broad is a labyrinth of dykes and pools, between -wooded islands and ferny banks. The boys took the two girls in the punt -through this charming maze, and they pushed their way through the large -floating leaves of the water-lily, and the more pointed leaves of the -arrowhead, gathering the many-coloured flowers which nestled amid the -luxuriant growth of plant-life that fringed the water, stooping to -avoid the trailing branches of the trees, and enjoying themselves -mightily in exploring. - -"Is that a crow's nest in yonder tree?" said Jimmy. - -"I expect so, and there is the bird on, but her head does not look like -a crow's. Hit the trunk with the oar," said Frank. - -[Illustration: WILD DUCK.] - -As the blow vibrated through the tree, the sitting bird flew off, and -what do you think it proved to be? A _wild-duck_! The boys were -astounded. They had heard of ducks building in hollow trees, and at some -distance from water, but to build a nest on the top of a high tree -seemed incredible, so Frank said he would climb up and see the eggs, -but-- - -"Let me go," said Dick, "I have never climbed a tall tree, and it looks -an easy one, although it is tall, for there are plenty of branches." - -"Oh, please take care, Dick," said Mary. - -"Oh, he will be all right. You never tell me to take care, young woman," -said Frank, laughing, while Mary blushed. - -Dick was soon up the tree, showing skill worthy of a practised climber, -and rather to the surprise of his companions. - -"It is a duck's nest in an old crow's nest, and there are ten eggs in," -shouted Dick from his lofty perch. - -"Bring two of them down then. We will write on them where they were -found. I wonder how the old birds get the young ones down to the water? -They can't fly for a long time after being hatched, and they must take -to the water soon, or they will die." - -The question which Frank put has never been satisfactorily answered. - -The young ones must either perch on their mother's back, and hold on -whilst they are being transported to their native element, or the old -bird must seize them in her bill, like a cat does her kittens. - -When the others left, the boys sailed down stream again by the light of -the red sunset, and as night stole over the marshes, they anchored by -Horning ferry, and so tired were they that they fell asleep the moment -they laid themselves down, forgetting their fears of the night before. -They turned in at ten, and none of them awoke until eight the next -morning. - -Before breakfast Frank and Jimmy spent some time in teaching Dick how to -swim, and found him an apt pupil. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - - Chameleon.--Light Coloured Eggs.--Sitting Birds have no Scent.-- - Forget-me-nots.--Trespassing.--The Owner.--A Chase.--Capture.-- - Pintail Duck.--Drumming of Snipe.--Swallow-tail Butterfly.-- - A Perilous Adventure. - - -The young voyagers had by this time discovered that sailing about in the -manner they were doing gave them tremendous appetites, and on this -particular morning they found they had run short of bread and butter, so -Jimmy was despatched to the little shop at Horning to procure some. - -After breakfast they were lounging on deck waiting for a breeze. Dick -was sprawling on the roof of the cabin basking in the sun. Frank was -fishing for roach in the clear slow stream, and Jimmy was perusing the -newspaper in which the provisions had been wrapped. It was a still, -lovely morning. White clouds sailed quickly across the blue sky, but -there was no breeze to move the marsh grasses and reeds, or to ripple -the placid stream. A lark sang merrily far above them, filling the air -with melody. Small birds chirped in the sedges, and the water-hens and -white-headed coots sailed busily to and fro. - -[Illustration: ROACH.] - -Jimmy looked up from his paper just as Frank pulled in a good sized -roach, and said,-- - -"Do either of you know how the chameleon changes its colour?" - -Upon receiving an answer in the negative he read as follows from the -paper in his hand:-- - -"M. Paul Bert has laid before the French Academy a _résumé_ of the -observations of himself and others on the colour-changes of the -chameleon. They appear to be due to change of place of certain coloured -corpuscles. When they bury themselves under the skin, they form an -opaque background to the cerulescent layer, and when they distribute -themselves in superficial ramifications, they either leave the skin to -show its yellow hue, or give it green and black tints. The movements of -the colour corpuscles are directed by two orders of nerves, one causing -their descending, and the other their ascending, motions. In a state of -extreme excitation the corpuscles hide below the skin, and do so in -sleep, anæsthesia, or death. The nerves which cause the corpuscles to go -under the skin have the greatest analogy to vaso-constrictor nerves. -They follow the mixed nerves of the limbs, and the great sympathetic of -the neck, and do not cross in the spinal marrow. The nerves which bring -the corpuscles upwards resemble in like manner the vaso-dilator nerves. -Luminous rays belonging to the blue-violet part of the spectrum act -directly on the contractile matter of the corpuscles, and cause them to -move towards the surface of the skin." - -[Illustration: CHAMELEON.] - -"Now, can you tell me the plain English of that?" - -"Read it again, Jimmy," said Frank. - -Jimmy did so. - -"Well, I am no wiser. Read it again more slowly." - -Jimmy did so again. - -"I give it up," said Frank. "What a thing it is to be a scientific man!" - -"I take it," said Dick, rolling himself along the cabin roof towards -them, "that it means that different coloured rays of light have -corresponding effects upon coloured atoms in the skin of the chameleon. -The rays of light will be affected by the colour of the place where the -chameleon is, and the chameleon will be affected by the changed colour -of the rays of light, so that if the beast were on a green lawn his -colour would be green, and if on a brown tree-trunk his colour would be -brown." - -"That is my idea," said Jimmy; "but what is the good of using such -stilted language, when the same thing might have been said in simple -English?" - -"I wonder why that water-hen keeps dodging about us in such a fussy -manner," said Frank. - -"I don't," replied Dick, "for there is her nest not a yard from our -bows." - -The mooring rope had parted the reeds, and discovered her nest, and -Dick, on going to the bows had seen it. It contained twelve eggs, one of -which was so light in colour as to be almost white, and one so small -that it was only half the size of the others. Dick asked if it were -because it was laid last, and if the pale one was so for a similar -reason. Frank replied,-- - -"It may be so in this case, but it does not always happen so. Last year -I tried an experiment with a robin's nest. I took out an egg each day, -as it was laid, and still the bird went on laying until I let her lay -her proper number, five. She laid fifteen eggs altogether, but they were -all the same colour and size. So I expect that it is only an accident -when the eggs are like these." - -"Bell told me the other day that sitting birds have no scent," said -Dick. "Is that true?" - -"I am not quite sure, but I am inclined to think that they have not so -strong a scent as at other times. This same robin which I have just been -telling you about built in a hedge-bank close by a house, and cats were -always prowling about, and I have seen puss walk right above the nest -while the old bird was on. If birds would only have the sense to shut -their eyes, we would often pass them over, but it is easy to see them -with their eyes twinkling like diamonds." - -"How pretty that clump of forget-me-nots is on the opposite bank! They -seem to smile at you with their blue eyes," said Dick, who was keenly -alive to all that was beautiful. "But what is that flower a little lower -down, right in the water, with thick juicy stems and blue flowers. Is -that a forget-me-not?" - -"No, it is a brooklime, but it is one of the speedwells. There are more -than a dozen sorts of speedwells, but the forget-me-not is the -prettiest. Another name for the forget-me-not is water-scorpion, but it -is too ugly a name for so pretty a plant," said Jimmy, full of his -recent learning. - -[Illustration: REDBREAST AND EGG.] - -"Here comes a breeze at last," cried Frank, as their blue flag -fluttered, and the reeds in the surrounding marsh bent their heads -together and sighed. "Shall we explore Ranworth Broad?" - -"Yes, but let us take Hoveton Great Broad first, and then we can go to -Ranworth as we come back," answered Jimmy. - -So they hoisted sail, and glided up stream with a freshening breeze, -while swallows dipped in the river and whirled about them as they -passed. While they were sailing steadily along with a breeze on their -starboard beam, the flag became fouled in the block through which the -halyard of the mainmast was rove, and Jimmy was sent up to put matters -right. He clambered up the mast as nimbly as a monkey, and shook loose -the flag from its ignominious position. When he had finished this he -looked about him, and from his greater height he could see much further -than his companions, whose view was limited by the tall reeds which shut -in almost every portion of the rivers and broads. The boys did not know -that they were near any of the latter, but Jimmy saw on their left hand -a sheet of water sparkling in the sun and studded with many reedy -islands. He cried out,-- - -"There is such a jolly broad to leeward! It looks so quiet and still, -and there are no end of water-fowl swimming about in it. A little -further on I can see a channel leading to it just wide enough for our -yacht. What do you say to paying it a visit?" - -His friends had not the least objection. Its being unknown to them was -an additional reason for their including it in their voyage of -discovery. Jimmy said he should stay on his lofty perch for a time and -take the bearings of the country, but as they neared the entrance to the -broad and turned off before going down the narrow channel, the boom -swung further out, and the jerk dislodged Jimmy, who was only saved from -falling by clutching at the shrouds, down which he came with a run. They -surged along through the dyke with the reeds brushing their bulwarks, -and tossing and swaying in the eddies which followed their wake, and -after several twistings and windings they emerged upon the broad. - -At the entrance to it was a pole with a notice-board upon it, which -stated that the broad belonged to Mr. ----, and that any persons found -trespassing upon it would be prosecuted. - -"Hallo! do you see that?" said Dick. - -"Yes, I see it," replied Frank, "but we could not turn back in that -narrow channel, and now that we are on the broad we may as well sail -about a bit. What a number of water-fowl there are!" - -"I know Mr. ---- by sight," said Jimmy. "He has a big blue yacht." - -The little lake was so picturesque with its islands and "ronds" and -broad floating lily-leaves, that the boys sailed about for some time -before they thought of leaving it, and when they turned their faces -again towards the river, what was their surprise to see a large yacht -creeping along the connecting canal between them and the river. The -reeds hid the body of the yacht from them, but its sails betokened that -it was one of considerable size. - -The boys wondered who it could be who had thought of paying the -sequestered little broad a visit, never for a moment thinking of the -owner, when the yacht shot out into the open water, and lo! it was a -'_big blue yacht_.' - -[Illustration: YACHT.] - -"It is Mr. ----," said Jimmy. - -"Now we shall get into a row for trespassing," said Dick. - -"They have got to catch us first. If we can only dodge them, and get on -to the river again, we can show them a clean pair of heels," said -Frank, taking a pull at the sheet and trying to creep up to windward of -the dyke. The blue yacht, however, stood by so as to meet them, and -Frank saw, by the way she went through the water, even when her sails -were hauled almost flat, that she could beat the Swan in sailing to -windward. A gentleman stood up in the strange yacht and called out,-- - -"Bear, up alongside, you young rascals, and give me your names and -addresses. I shall summon you for trespassing." - -"Not if I know it," said Frank, bringing the _Swan_ sharply round on her -heel, and scudding away before the wind, followed by the other in full -chase. - -"Now, Jimmy and Dick, stand by the sheets, and when we get opposite the -bottom of that long island, we will bring her sharp round the other -side, and then they can't get across and meet us, and then we'll cut and -run for the dyke." - -They executed this manoeuvre very neatly, but the other was too quick -for them, and instead of following them round the island, they turned -back and made for the mouth of the dyke to intercept them, and at a much -better angle of the wind than that at which the _Swan_ had to sail. - -"We shall come into collision," said Jimmy, as he took a hearty pull at -the mizen sheet. "We cannot both get through the dyke." - -"Never mind. We'll cram her at it. Stand by with the boat-hook to push -the blue 'un off, Dick!" but as Dick stood ready with the boat-hook to -push off, a man stood in the other yacht with his boat-hook to pull them -in, and as Dick pushed, his adversary pulled. The two boats ran -alongside for a few yards, and then were jammed together at the mouth of -the creek, and Mr. ---- stepped on board. - -"Now what is the meaning of this?" he exclaimed angrily. - -"We came into the broad out of curiosity, sir," said Frank; "and we -could not see the notice-board until we were in the broad, and then we -thought we might as well take a turn round before going out, but we are -sorry you have caught us." - -"Oh, are you really! Well, I want to preserve the broad for wild-fowl, -so I don't like it to be disturbed; but where did you get this strange -boat built?" - -"We built it ourselves," answered the boys,--and then in reply to the -inquiries, they told him all about it, and their object, and by the time -all was explained to him they found that he was a very jolly sort of -fellow, and he found that they were very pleasant, unaffected lads, and -the end of it was that they lunched with him on board his yacht, and had -full permission to go on the broad whenever they liked. - -Frank's attention was arrested by a pretty, light grey duck swimming -about in the centre of the broad. - -"Is that a pintail duck?" he inquired of Mr. ----. - -"Yes, and the only one on the broad, I am sorry to say. Its mate has -been killed, and my man found the deserted nest with four eggs in it, -among the reeds on the other side of the broad. If he has not taken it -you may have it." - -His man had not taken it, and in a few minutes the boys were the -possessors of the eggs of this rare duck. The nest and eggs were of the -usual duck type, and did not correspond in any degree with the extreme -prettiness of the duck, which, with its mottled grey back and red-brown -head and neck, is as fair to look at as it is good to eat. - -The yachts were disengaged from their position without any damage, and -the boys took leave of their entertainer with a cheer, and made for the -river again. - -"I hope all our adventures will end as nicely as that one," said Dick. - -The wish was echoed by the others; but that very day they had an -adventure which startled them considerably, and might have had very -serious and fatal consequences. But of this anon. - -Presently Dick said,--"I have noticed whenever we see a mud-bank that it -is almost sure to be perforated by a number of small holes. What is the -reason of that?" - -"Oh, that is done by the snipes, when boring in search of food. -Woodcocks will do it as well, and the woodcock's upper bill is so long -and flexible that it can twist and turn it about in the mud with the -greatest ease," answered Frank, who was always ready with an answer on -ornithological subjects. - -By and by Dick was observed to be looking all about with a very puzzled -and curious air, peeping into the cabin, and scrutinizing the deck and -the banks with the utmost attention. - -"What is the matter, Dick?" said Jimmy at length. - -"What on earth is that buzzing noise? It seems to be close to us, and I -can't find out the cause of it. I did not like to ask before--it seemed -so simple. Is it a big bee, or wasp, or what?" - -Frank and Jimmy laughed heartily, and the former said,-- - -"Look up in the air, Dick." - -Dick did so, and saw a bird which he knew to be a snipe, hovering -somewhat after the manner of a kestrel, or windhover, as the country -people sometimes call it. It was evident now that the noise came from -it, but how was it produced, and why? - -Frank could not answer either of these questions. It was a habit of the -snipes in breeding time to rise and 'drum' in that way. - -[Illustration: COMMON SNIPE.] - -"No doubt he does it for a lark, and no doubt he thinks he does it as -well as a lark, but no one seems to be sure how the noise is produced. -The general opinion seems to be that it is caused by a vibration of the -tail-feathers." - -"Look!" cried Dick excitedly, diving into the cabin for his butterfly -net. Over the marsh there fluttered one of the grandest of English -butterflies, the swallow-tail. Large in size, being about four inches -across the wings, which are of a pale creamy-yellow, barred and margined -with blue and black, velvety in its appearance, and with a well-defined -'tail' to each of its under wings, above which is a red spot, the -swallow-tail butterfly is one of the most beautiful of all butterflies. -It is rare save in its head-quarters, which are the fens of Norfolk and -Cambridge, and is justly considered a prize by a young collector. Frank -immediately ran the yacht ashore, and Dick jumped out and rushed at the -gorgeous insect with his net. Alas! he struck too wildly and missed it, -and it rose in the air and flew far away, leaving Dick lamenting. Frank -laughed and said,-- - -"Ah, you went at it too rashly. You should have given it him with more -of the _suaviter in modo_ and less of the _fortiter in re_. Here comes -another. Let me have a try!" - -[Illustration: SWALLOW-TAIL BUTTERFLY.] - -Dick yielded up possession of the net to him, and he advanced slowly and -cautiously to where the swallow-tail was sunning himself on an early -tuft of meadow-sweet, which the warm weather had tempted to bloom -earlier than usual, and to perfume the air with its strong fragrance on -the last day of May. - -Frank's approach had too much of the _suaviter in modo_, for the -butterfly flew away long before he reached it. Frank forgot all about -the _suaviter in modo_ then. He dashed after it at the top of his speed, -making frantic dashes at it with his net, and jumping over soft ground, -with utter disregard to all dangerous places. He followed it for some -distance, and then he suddenly disappeared, and to their dismay they -heard him shouting loudly for help. - -"He has got into a bog-hole," said Jimmy, "come along as fast as you -can." - -They ran with breathless speed to where he had disappeared, and so -deceptive are distances on flat surfaces, that they were surprised to -see how far he had gone. When they reached him they saw him up to his -waist in the soft bog, whose bright vivid green would have shown its -danger had he not been too eager in his pursuit of the butterfly to -notice it. He was rapidly sinking deeper into the mud, which held him -fast with cruel tenacity, and sucked him further into its horrid embrace -the more he struggled to get out of it. He had taken a big jump right -into the very middle of it, and he was too far from them to reach their -hands. His face was pale, but he was cool and collected. - -"All right," he said, "don't be frightened. I've got the butterfly, and -if you will do what I tell you, I will soon get out of this fix. Dick, -do you run to the yacht and get a rope, and you, Jimmy, get some reeds, -and pitch them to me to put under my arms, and keep me from sinking -further into this fearful mess." - -Dick sped off like an arrow, and Jimmy tore up a bundle of reeds and -threw them to his friend, who had now sunk up to his shoulders, and as -the reeds broke beneath his weight he sunk deeper still. - -"I hope Dick won't be long, or it will be all up with me, Jimmy," he -said, and brave as he was, he could not keep his lips from quivering. -Jimmy was in an agony of excitement. He took off his coat, and threw one -end of it to Frank, but he could not reach him. Then he did what even -raised a smile on Frank's face, imminent as was his danger. He took off -his trousers and threw one leg to Frank, retaining the other in his -hand. Pulling hard at this improvised rope, he held Frank up until Dick -came tearing up with the rope trailing behind him. - -"Thank God!" said Frank, and Jimmy then knew by his fervent tone how -great he knew the danger had been. Clinging to the rope, he was hauled -out by his companions, and so tightly did the mud hold him, that it took -all their strength to drag him out. They walked slowly and quietly back -to the yacht, and Frank changed his clothes, and lay down and was very -quiet for some time, and they none of them recovered their usual spirits -for some time after this occurrence. - -The butterfly was set, and ever afterwards kept apart in Dick's -collection as a memento of this time. - -Before they went home again they had got several specimens of this -handsome butterfly, and still better, they discovered numbers of the -bright green caterpillars and chrysalides on the meadow-sweet and wild -carrot, which grew in the marsh, and so were able to breed several fine -specimens, enough for their own collection and for exchange. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - - Moonlight.--Instinct and Reason.--Death's Head Moth.-- - Bittern.--Water-rail.--Quail.--Golden Plover.-- - Hen-Harrier and Weasel.--Preserving Bird-skins. - - -They anchored that night just inside Hoveton Great Broad. The moon rose -large and round, and lake and marsh slept still in her mellow light. The -boys sat on deck watching the reflection of the moon in the water, and -listening to the cries of the night-birds around them and the splash of -the fish in the shallow margins. Dick said,-- - -"Is it not wonderful that the butterfly knows on which plant she is to -lay her eggs? How does the swallow-tail know that she must lay them on -the wild carrot or on the meadow-sweet; the death's-head moth on the -potato; and the white butterfly on the cabbage? How is it that they -select these plants, seeing that it is all strange and new to them? It -is very wonderful!" - -"Yes," said Jimmy, "and it cannot be reason, because they can have no -facts to reason from, so it must be instinct." - -"Well, I don't like talking anything like cant, and you won't accuse me -of that if I say that it seems to me that instinct is a personal -prompting and direction of God to the lower animals for their good, and -I don't believe we think of that enough," said Dick. - -[Illustration: MOONLIGHT SCENE.] - -Frank replied,--"You are right, Dick, and while man has only reason, -animals have instinct and reason too. At least I believe that the larger -kind of animals have some share of reason. I have never told you about -our colley bitch. Last year she had pups, and she was very much annoyed -by a cat which would go prowling about the building where the bitch was -kept; so the bitch took the opportunity of one day killing the cat. Now -the cat had just had kittens, and all were drowned but one. When the -mother was killed, its kitten cried most piteously, and had to be fed -with milk by the servants. The bitch had not known that the cat had -kittens, until she heard the kitten scream, and then she showed as -plainly as possible that she was sorry for what she had done, and took -the kitten to her own young ones, and seemed quite fond of it. Whenever -it was taken away she would go for it and take it back again, and the -kitten grew up with the pups, and was inseparable from them. Now I call -that reason on the part of the bitch, and the desire to make amends for -the injury she had done--But hark! what is that?" - -A low booming sound not unlike the lowing of a bull, but more continued, -resounded through the marsh and then ceased. Again the strange note was -heard, and the boys looked at one another. - -"What can it be?" said Jimmy, as the noise again quivered on the moonlit -air. - -[Illustration: DEATH'S-HEAD MOTH.] - -"I know," said Frank, "it is a bittern. If we can only find its nest we -shall be lucky. It does not often breed in England now, although it is -often shot here in winter. Let us listen where the sound comes from." - -They listened intently, and after an interval the sound was again -repeated. They believed that it came from a reed-covered promontory -which ran out into the broad on its eastern shore. - -"Let us take the punt and go over," said Frank; so they rowed in the -direction of the sound. They rowed round the promontory, and penetrated -it as far as they could, and all was still and silent, and they -discovered nothing. - -Early the next morning they renewed their search, and while they were -crashing through the very middle of the reed bed, the bittern rose with -a hoarse cry, and flew away with a dull, heavy flight. And there, as -good luck would have it, was its nest, a large structure of sticks, -reeds and rushes, and in it were four eggs, large, round, and pale brown -in colour. It was not in human nature (or at least in boy nature) to -resist taking all the eggs. - -[Illustration: BITTERN.] - -The bittern is a singular bird both in shape and habits. Take a heron -and shorten its legs, neck, and beak, and thicken it generally, and then -deepen its plumage to a partridge-like brown, and you will have a pretty -good idea of the bittern. At one time it was common enough in England, -but the spread of cultivation, the drainage of the marshes, and the -pursuit of the collector have rendered it rare; and while at some -seasons it is pretty common all over the country where there are places -fit for its breeding-ground, in other years scarcely a specimen can be -seen, and its nest is now but rarely found. Its curious note has often -puzzled the country people. It has been said to put its head under water -or into a hollow reed, and then to blow, and so make a noise something -like that produced by the famous blowing stone in the Vale of the White -Horse. - -The fact, however, appears to be that the noise is produced in the usual -manner, and Morris says that the bittern "commonly booms when soaring -high in the air with a spiral flight." - -When suddenly surprised, its flight is more like that of a carrion crow -when shot at in the air. If wounded, the bittern can defend itself -remarkably well, turning itself on its back, and fighting with beak and -claws. It cannot run well among the reeds, so when surprised it takes -refuge in flight, although it is not by any means a good flier; and as -the reeds grow too closely together for it to use its wings among them, -it clambers up them with its feet, until it can make play with its -wings. It is essentially nocturnal in its habits, hiding close among the -reeds and flags by day. - -Leaving Hoveton Broad, the boys sailed quietly down the river to -Ranworth Broad, without adventure. They turned from the river along the -dyke which led to the broad, and with their usual enterprise they tried -to take a short cut through a thin corner of reeds growing in about two -feet of water, which alone divided them from the broad. They stuck fast, -of course; but their usual good fortune attended them, and turned their -misfortune into a source of profit. A bird like a landrail, but smaller, -flew from a thick clump of vegetation near them. - -"Hallo, that is not a corn-crake, is it?" said Dick. - -"No, but it is a water-crake, or water-rail rather, and I expect its -nest is in that clump," said Frank, and his shoes and stockings were off -in a moment, and he was wading to the place whence the bird had flown. - -"Yes, here it is, and there are eight eggs in it, very like a -landrail's, but much lighter in colour and a little smaller. I say, if -we hadn't seen the bird fly away we should never have found the nest, it -is so carefully hidden. I shall take four eggs. They are not sat upon, -and she will lay some more until she makes up her full number, so it is -not a robbery." - -The water-rail is one of the shyest of water-birds. It creeps among the -herbage like a rat, and is very difficult to put to flight. When it does -fly, its legs hang down as if it had not strength to hold them up, and -it flies but slowly, yet during the winter time it migrates long -distances. - -The boys spent but little time on the broad, for they were anxious to -get further away from home; so, as there was a strong breeze from the -west, they ran before it as far as Acle, where they had to lower their -mast in order to pass under the old grey stone bridge. - -[Illustration: WATER-RAIL.] - -Leaving the yacht moored by the Hermitage Staithe, they walked to Filby -and Ormesby Broads, an immense straggling sheet of water with many arms -about three miles from the river. They hired a boat, and rowed about for -some time, seeing plenty of wild-fowl, but meeting with no adventure -worth recording. The broad is connected with the river by a long dyke -called by the euphonious name of Muck Fleet, but it is not navigable, -being so filled with mud and weeds. The growing obstruction of this dyke -is an illustration of the process which is going on all over the Broad -district day by day. Formerly a much larger portion of it must have been -water, but as the reeds grew they decayed, and the rotten matter formed -soil. This process was repeated year after year and is going on now. The -reeds extend each year and form fresh soil each winter, and so the parts -which were always very shallow become filled up, and the extent of marsh -increases; and then, as the extent of marsh increases, it is drained and -becomes firm, and then is finally cultivated, and waving corn-fields -take the place of what was once a lake, and then a marsh, and instead of -pike and wild-fowl there are partridges and pheasants. - -On the way back to Filby the boys took it into their heads to have a -game of 'follow my leader.' Frank was chosen as leader, and he led them -straight across-country, scorning roads and paths, and choosing the -hardest leaps over dykes and fences. Across a meadow Frank saw a very -stiff thorn fence on the other side of which was a stubble-field. -Collecting all his strength, he made a rush at it, but failing to clear -it, his foot caught near the top, and he fell headlong into the next -field. Dick followed his leader with commendable imitation, and sprawled -on the top of him; but Jimmy could only breast the hedge, and sat down -on the spot whence he had taken his spring. Dick was up again in a -moment, but Frank remained kneeling on the ground with something between -his hands. - -[Illustration: AFRICAN BUSH QUAIL.] - -"What is it, Frank?" said Dick. - -"A bird. I fell upon it. It was on its nest, and I have smashed three of -the eggs, but there are five left." - -Jimmy joined them, and asked what kind of a bird it was. It was a bird -of about eight inches in length, grey in colour, plump, and with a shape -which reminded them of the guinea-fowl. They looked at the poor -trembling bird, and at its eggs, and came to the conclusion that it was -a quail, a supposition which turned out to be right. Quails, though rare -generally, were very common that year in Norfolk and Suffolk, and many -nests were found, two more by the boys themselves. The nest is simply a -collection of dry grass in a hollow in the ground. - -Morris says of the quail:-- - -"Quails migrate north and south in spring and autumn, and vast numbers -are taken by bird-catchers. As many as one hundred thousand are said to -have been taken in one day in the kingdom of Naples. Three thousand -dozen are reported to have been purchased in one year by the London -dealers alone. They migrate in flocks, and the males are said to precede -the females. They are believed to travel at night. They arrive here at -the end of April or beginning of May, and depart again early in -September. Not being strong on the wing, yet obliged to cross the sea to -seek a warmer climate in the winter, thousands are picked up by the -shores on their arrival in an exhausted state; many are drowned on the -passage, and some are frequently captured on board of vessels met with -_in transitu_." - -I have seen them in poulterers' shops kept in large cages, until they -are wanted for the table, and they seemed to be quite unconcerned at -their captivity, feeding away busily. - -Frank said, - -"What shall we do with the bird? I've broken her wing, but I don't think -she's much hurt anywhere else." - -"Here's some thin twine," said Dick. "Let us tie the bone to a splint of -wood with it, and the wing may heal." - -They carried the suggestion out with great care, and the quail, on being -allowed to go, ran away with a drooping wing, but otherwise little the -worse. - -"I suppose we must take all the eggs," said Frank, "for she will not -come back to her nest now, as it is all wet with squashed egg." - -"Those are not lapwings flying above us, are they?" said Dick. - -"No, they are golden plovers. They are not half so pretty as the -lapwings. They have no crest, and are much plainer in plumage, and they -have more black on them. Look out for their nests in this marshy spot." - -"Here is one," said Dick. - -[Illustration: NEST OF GOLDEN PLOVER.] - -"No, that is only a lapwing's, and in a very clever place too; the nest -is made, or rather the eggs are placed on the top of a mud-hill, so that -when the water rises the eggs will be kept dry." - -"Here is a golden plover's, then," said Jimmy, pointing to a depression -in the ground, in which were four eggs of the usual plover type, about -the same size as the lapwing's, but more blunt in outline, and lighter -in ground colour. - -"Yes, those are they. Take two of them." - -It must not be supposed that I mention all the nests and eggs the boys -found in their rambles. Space forbids me to notice more than those which -are rare or unusual. For the nest of one rare or uncommon bird they -found a dozen of the commoner sorts, for they were very quick observers. - -The wind had fallen, and the water was as smooth as glass. While -prowling about the margin, "seeking what they might devour," Dick -stooped to pick a flower which grew by the water-side, and saw the head -of a large eel protruding from the mud on the bank, about two or three -feet below the surface. He called his companions' attention to it, and -on looking more closely they saw at intervals the heads of several more, -which poked two or three inches out of the mud. If the water had not -been so still and clear, they would not have been able to see them. - -"What are they in that peculiar position for?" said Dick. - -"Oh, it is a habit of theirs. They are taking it easy, and watching for -any little nice morsel to float by them. When the evening comes they -will come out altogether. I will show you how to sniggle them." - -"Do what?" said Dick. - -"Wait and see, old man." - -They went back to the Hermitage, and Frank borrowed a stocking-needle -from a woman at the house. He next got some fishing-line from the yacht -and whipped one end of it to the needle from the eye to the middle. He -next got a long pea-stick from the garden, and dug up some lob-worms, -and then went to the mud-bank where the eels were. - -Frank baited his tackle by running the head of the needle quite up into -the head of the worm, letting the point come out about the middle. Then -he lightly stuck the point of the needle into the end of the stick, and -with the stick in one hand and the loose line in the other, he went -quietly to the side, and selecting an eel, he presented the worm to its -nose. The eel opened its mouth and took the worm in. Frank gently pulled -the stick away and slackened the line, and the eel swallowed the worm -head first. When it had disappeared down the eel's throat, Frank struck, -and the needle, of course, stuck across the eel's gullet. Frank kept a -steady hold upon him, and drew him out of his fastness inch by inch, -until he was clear of the mud, and then he lifted him out of the water. -It was a fine eel of two pounds in weight. - -"Why, what grand fun that is!" said Dick. "Let me try," and so -enthusiastically did he set to work, that in an hour's time he had got -eight large eels. - -They now went on board to make their fourth meal that day, it being then -half-past four o'clock. Afterwards they all wrote their letters home. - -The next morning about nine o'clock they hoisted sail, and started, -intending to reach Yarmouth that day. A strong breeze, almost amounting -to a gale, blew from the west, and they were obliged to take in reefs in -both the main-sail and the mizen, and then they spun along at a very -good rate, the water foaming at their bows and surging in their wake. -Above them and to the eastward the sky was blue and without a cloud, but -in the west a huge black cloud was slowly rising. Against its gloom, the -sunlit marsh, the windmills, and the white sails of the yachts stood out -brilliantly clear, and a number of gulls which were flying over the -marsh shone out dazzlingly white against it. - -"What bird is that? It is a hawk no doubt, but it looks so blue in this -light," said Jimmy, pointing over the marsh to where a large hawk was -flying in circles uttering screams, and every now and then swooping to -the ground. - -Frank got out his glass and took a long look at it. - -"It must be a hen-harrier," he said. "I can see it quite clearly. It -seems to be very angry with something on the ground. Run the yacht up in -the wind, Jimmy, and let us watch it." - -"There is another harrier flying to join it as swift as the wind. It is -larger and browner, and must be the female," said Frank, describing -their movements as he saw them through the glass. - -[Illustration: HEN-HARRIER.] - -The second comer swooped down to the ground and rose with some long -struggling object in its talons which seemed to be a weasel or stoat. -Frank then through his glass distinctly saw the weasel seize the hawk by -the throat, and the hawk, screaming wildly, rose high into the -air--"towering," as a sportsman would say--until it was almost a speck, -and its mate accompanied it, circling round it, and also uttering savage -screams. Then the hawk and weasel fell through the air, turning over and -over, and came plump upon the marsh. The boys landed and went to the -spot, while the other hawk slowly circled far out of sight. On reaching -the spot they found the hawk dead, and the weasel still alive but -stunned. It was soon despatched, and they examined the beautiful hawk -which had fallen a victim to its bravery. The weasel's jaws were stained -with egg-juice, and not far off they found the hen-harrier's nest which -the weasel had been rifling when the hawk attacked it. The nest was -built on the ground, and was something like a coot's nest, large and -strong in structure. It contained four bluish eggs, two of which were -broken. - -[Illustration: WEASEL.] - -"I tell you what, Frank," said Jimmy, "we must stuff the hawk and -weasel, and mount them just as they appeared in the air. It will make a -grand group. I am sorry for the hawk, but it is a lucky find for us and -our museum nevertheless." - -In the meantime they skinned the hawk and weasel, and simply stuffed -their skins with cotton-wool and laid them by in the locker. It is not -necessary to stuff birds in their natural attitude to preserve them for -a cabinet. They may be loosely stuffed with cotton-wool and laid side by -side in drawers and labelled, just like eggs, and if at any time -afterwards it is desired to set them up in life-like positions, the -skins can be softened by letting them lie for a few days in a damp -place. - -They sailed at a great rate down to Yarmouth, and brought up just -outside a row of wherries which were moored to the quay. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - - To the Rescue.--A Long-tailed Tit's Nest.--A Shower of Feathers. - - -When they had made all snug, they set out for a walk through the town, -and as the quay-side was not so pleasant as the open country, they -determined not to sleep on board the yacht this night, but to sleep at -an hotel. They therefore went to one by the beach and engaged beds. They -then ordered and ate an uncommonly good dinner, at the close of which -the waiter intimated to them that he had never seen any young gentlemen -before who had such good appetites. After a due amount of rest they set -out for a stroll. Presently they met a boy with a nest in his hand, -which was evidently that of a long-tailed tit. They watched the boy -join a gang of other boys, and after some conversation they took a -number of tiny white eggs out of the nest, and arranged them on the -ground in a row. - -"By Jove, they are going to play 'hookey smash' with them. What -heathens!" said Frank. The boy who had brought the eggs now took a stick -and made a shot at one of the eggs, and smash it went. Another boy took -a stick and prepared to have his turn. - -"I say, I can't stand this," said Frank. "Let us make a rush and rescue -the eggs," and suiting the action to the word, he ran forward, and with -a well-applied shove of his foot to the inviting target which a stooping -boy presented to him, he sent him rolling into the gutter. Jimmy picked -up the nest and eggs, and then the three found themselves like Horatius -and his two companions when they kept the bridge against Lars Porsena -and his host, "facing fearful odds" in the shape of a dozen yelling -street-boys. - -Frank was a big lad for his age, and he stood in such an excellent -boxing position, his blue eyes gleaming with such a Berserker rage, and -Jimmy and Dick backed him so manfully, that their opponents quailed, and -dared not attack them save with foul language, of which they had a -plentiful supply at command. Seeing that their enemies deemed discretion -the better part of valour, our three heroes linked themselves arm in -arm, and marched home with their heads very high in air, and with a -conscious feeling of superiority. - -"What are you laughing at, Dick?" said Frank. - -"At the cool way in which you robbed those fellows of their eggs. You -had no right to do so. They _will_ wonder why you did it." - -"Let them wonder. I was so savage at their spoiling those beautiful eggs -in such a brutal manner. At the same time I acknowledge that it wasn't -my business, no more than if it were their own ha'pence they were -smashing, but all the same I feel that we have done a very meritorious -action." - -They now found themselves at the quay-side, and they stopped there some -time, being much struck by the scene which presented itself to them as -they gazed out over Breydon Water. The tide was flowing in rapidly, and -Breydon was one vast lake, at the further end of which, five miles away, -the rivers Waveney and Yare joined it, and, at the end near Yarmouth, -the Bure, down which they had just sailed. The breeze had risen to a -gale, and as it met the incoming tide it raised a sharp popply sea. The -sun was setting red and splendid over the far end behind a mass of black -fiery-edged cloud, through rents in which the brilliant light fell upon -the tossing waste of waters, and tipped each wave-crest with crimson. -Above the cloud the sky was of a delicate pale green, in which floated -cloudlets or bars of gold, which were scarcely more ethereal-looking -than the birds which breasted the gale with wavering flight. Out of the -sunset light there came a gallant array of vessels making for the -shelter of Yarmouth. Dark-sailed wherries with their peaks lowered and -their sails half mast high, and yachts with every possible reef taken -in, all dashing along at a great pace, notwithstanding the opposing -tide, and each with a white lump of foam at its bows. The parallel rows -of posts which marked the sailing course stood out gaunt and grim, like -warders of the sunset gates, and the whole scene was wild and -impressive. It so moved Dick, that when they got back to their hotel he -sat down, and tried his hand at making some verses descriptive of it. -They are not good enough to quote, but Frank and Jimmy both thought them -very good, only they were not impartial critics. - -As they were sitting in the coffee-room that evening, Jimmy said that he -should like to see how many feathers the long-tailed tit's nest -contained. It looked a regular hatful, and he wondered how the tiny bird -could have had the patience to collect so many. So he drew a small table -aside, and sat himself down at it with the nest before him, and then set -to work to count the feathers, putting them in a pile at his right side -as he did so. Dick joined him, and the two worked away for a long time -at the monotonous task of counting. The feathers as they were piled up -loosely on the table formed a big feather-heap. - -Frank grew tired of watching them, and a wicked idea entered his head. -The window near which they sat encountered the whole force of the wind. -Frank lounged up to it, and, under cover of a question, undid the latch. - -"How many are there?" he asked. - -"We have counted 2,000, and there are about 300 more. We shall soon -finish." - -"Shall you, indeed," said Frank, as he opened the window. The wind -rushed in, and catching the light feathers scattered them all over the -room, which was full of people, some reading, some eating, and some -enjoying a nightcap of toddy. The feathers stuck everywhere--on the -food, in the glasses, sticking on hair and clothes, and tickling noses, -and causing universal consternation. - -[Illustration: LONG-TAILED TIT AND EGG.] - -"Here's a pretty kettle of fish!" said Jimmy, looking up in dismay. "How -could you, Frank?" - -But Frank had vanished out of the window laughing incontinently, and -Dick and Jimmy were left alone to bear the storm of expostulations and -reproaches with which they were favoured by the company, who thought the -whole affair was premeditated. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - - Yarmouth.--The "Rows".--A Stiff Breeze.--An Exciting Sail.-- - Sparrow-hawk's Nest.--A Nasty Fall.--Long-eared Owl.-- - Partridge.--Sandpiper. - - -Yarmouth is a queer old semi-Dutch town, and is often compared in shape -to a gridiron, the bars of that article corresponding to the "Rows" -which are such a peculiar feature of Yarmouth. These rows stretching -across from the quay-side to the principal street are very narrow, yet -contain the houses and shops of a great portion of the population. Many -are only wide enough for foot passengers but along others, carts of a -peculiar construction can pass. These carts are very long and narrow, -and have only two wheels, and a stranger seeing them for the first time -would wonder what they were for. - -Below Breydon Water the river narrows very much, and flows past numerous -fish-wharves and quays to the sea. The tide rises up this narrow neck -with great force, and were it not for the safety-valve which is afforded -by the vast expanse of Breydon Water, where the tide can expand and -waste its force, it would rush on and flood the low-lying marshes for -miles up the river. - -The boys had resolved to start on their voyage up Breydon Water at ten -o'clock in the morning, when the tide would be making and would help -them on their way, but when they had staggered down to their boat in the -teeth of a fierce north-wester, and saw Breydon white with foam, torn -off short snappy waves caused by the meeting of wind and tide, they were -rather dismayed, and held a council of war as to what should be done. -Not a sail could be seen on the wide expanse of Breydon Water. The sky -was of a hard and pitiless blue, and clearly foretold a continuance of -the gale. - -"Shall we venture or not?" said Frank. - -"What do you feel inclined to do yourself?" asked Jimmy. - -"Well, I don't think there is any great risk. We will take every reef -in, and the tide will be in our favour. It will be a good trial for the -yacht too. If we can get to the top of Breydon against this gale we -shall have every reason to be satisfied with her. I am game to try." - -"So am I," said Jimmy. - -"Then if you are, I am," said Dick. - -"That's right. Then do you make all snug on board, while I run back to -the town. I have something to buy," and off he went. - -In a short time he returned with a small life-belt in his hand. - -"Here, this is for you, Dick. Jimmy and I swim so well that there is no -danger for us, but you cannot swim so very far yet, so you had better -wear this in case of a capsize, though I don't expect one. Now, are you -ready?" - -"Yes." - -"Then, Jimmy, do you take the main-sheet, and you, Dick, take the -mizen-sheet, and I will cast off." - -The sails were hoisted, and everything made taut and trim. Frank undid -the moorings, and jumped on board, seizing the tiller just as the -yacht's head turned from the shore, and she heeled over before the wind. -No sooner was she free from the quay than she seemed to be at the -opposite side of the river, at such a pace did the wind impel her. -Although her raft-like frame gave her so much stability, yet she heeled -over until her deck to leeward was in the water. She came back on the -opposite tack with the speed of a racehorse. Frank said,-- - -"I say, she fairly seems to run away from us. Quick, loose the sheet, -Jimmy! Here's a squall!" and the yacht ran up into the wind, and her -sails fluttered as Frank kept her so until the gust had passed. They -were soon out in the open water of Breydon, and were able to take longer -tacks. This gave them some ease, but they found that the _Swan_ was not a -"dry" boat. Her lowness and flat shape caused her to "ship" the short -curling seas. They, of course, passed over her deck harmlessly, but -nevertheless they made her wet and uncomfortable. As long, however, as -she was safe and sailed well, the boys did not mind this at all, and -they stuck to their work bravely, handling their yacht with great skill -and courage. - -Large portions of Breydon are dry at low tide, and are there called -"muds," or "flats." On these muds flocks of sea-fowl congregate. - -"These are capital places in the winter for wild-fowl shooting," said -Frank, "we must have a day's sport here in the next hard frost. Bell -will come with us, and show us some good fun, I am sure." - -"My father has a big swivel duck-gun somewhere about. If that will be of -any use I will look it up," said Dick. - -"Of course it will be of use, old man. Just the thing we want. Haul in -her sheet, Jimmy. We can sail a point nearer to the wind, if we choose. -I say, this is fine! What muffs we were to think that there was any -danger, or that the yacht could not do it. See how well she behaves! But -there, I am putting her too full, and she was very nearly capsized. The -man at the wheel must not speak, so don't talk to me." - -"This may be fine fun for you, Frank, but my hands have nearly all the -skin taken off them by the rope. It is jolly hard work holding on to -this, I can tell you," said Jimmy, who, indeed, had got his work cut out -for him. - -"Same here," said Dick; "I don't care how soon it is over, for my hands -are awfully flayed. I wish we could make the sheet fast." - -"Ah, you must not do that, or we shall be upset at the next gust," said -Frank. - -After an hour and a half of very exciting sailing, they had sailed the -five miles of Breydon Water, and ran into the smoother current of the -Waveney. Here, also, they got the wind more aslant, and skimmed along at -a great pace with very little labour. In this way, they sailed some -fifteen miles, and at length came to anchor in a sheltered spot under a -wood-crowned bank not far from Beccles. After making all snug and eating -their dinner, the most natural thing to do was to explore the wood near -them. They left the yacht, and crossing a meadow they entered the wood. -It was a thick fir-plantation and promised well for nests. - -"What is that one?" said Jimmy, pointing to a nest in a tall fir-tree. -"Is it a crow's, or an old wood-pigeon's, or a hawk's? Who will go up -and see?" - -"I will," said Frank, and up he went hand over hand among the thick -boughs. As he neared the top, he was obliged to proceed more -cautiously, for the branches were thin, and the tree swayed in the wind. -All doubts as to the kind of nest were speedily dissolved, for with a -cry of rage, a sparrow-hawk came dashing up, and flew in circles around -the tree, screaming angrily, and making fierce attacks at the invader of -its home. Frank, nothing daunted, continued his upward way, and soon was -able to see into the nest. - -"There are four young ones," he cried. - -[Illustration: SPARROW-HAWK.] - -"What a pity," said Jimmy. "If they had only been eggs! Look sharp and -come down, Frank, you are swinging about so much that it does not seem -safe up there." - -But Frank answered nothing, and remained on his perch. - -"What is the matter, Frank?" - -"I am thinking about something." - -"A tree-top is a funny place to think. Here is the other hawk coming to -pay you a visit, and it is the female. She will be more savage than the -other, and may attack you." - -"No fear," said Frank, but at that moment both hawks made a sudden -onslaught upon him, and the female struck him so savagely, that she tore -a big gash in his cheek. He was so startled at this unexpected and -hostile measure that he lost his hold and fell. When Dick and Jimmy saw -their leader crashing through the branches, and turning over and over as -he fell, they could not repress a shriek, and closed their eyes to shut -out the horrible accident that must happen. They waited in fearful -suspense for the expected thud, but not hearing it, they ventured to -look up again, and saw Frank lying on a thickly spreading branch not far -below the nest. He was lying quite still, but clutching hold of the -boughs with his hands. Both Dick and Jimmy flew to the tree, and -commenced to climb it. With a speed that seemed wonderful to them -afterwards they reached Frank. - -"Are you hurt, old man?" - -"Not at all, only all the wind is knocked out of me. I shall be all -right in a minute. I say, if my mater saw that tumble, she would not let -me go out alone any more, would she? That hawk was a plucky bird. I am -going up to the nest again." - -"What for? I should think you have had enough of hawks' nests for a long -time." - -"Yes, but I want to take two of the young ones. Two of them are much -larger than the others, so they must be females. Now I'll tell you what -struck me before the bird knocked me off my perch. Suppose we take these -young hawks, and train them up in the way they should go--that is, let -us use them for hawking." - -"It is a good idea and no mistake--but can we do that?" - -"Easily," answered Frank, gathering himself together, and resuming his -ascent. - -"What a cool fellow he is," said Dick to Jimmy. "He does not seem to -know what danger is." - -"He does not choose to show it, if he does. But let us go up and help -him with the hawks." - -The young hawks were fully fledged and nearly ready to fly. They were -fierce enough now, but Frank said he would undertake to tame them, and -fit them for hawking before the winter, if the other boys would help -him. The idea of reviving that famous old sport was a very fascinating -one, and they determined to do their best to carry it out, with what -result will afterwards be seen. In the meantime it was a difficult -matter to dispose of the birds. They tied strings to their legs, and -kept them in the cabin, feeding them, and taking as much care of them as -if they were babies, until they came to Norwich, when they sent them to -Bell, who took care of them until their return. - -After taking the hawks to the boat, the boys went back to the wood and -separated, so that they might cover more ground. Suddenly peals of -laughter were heard coming from the corner of the wood. Frank, pushing -aside the branches to get a clearer view, was surprised to see Dick -staring at a thick Scotch fir, holding his sides, and laughing until the -tears ran down his cheeks. Frank hastened up to him to see where the fun -was. Dick could only point, for he was too far gone for speech. Frank -looked in the direction he pointed, and immediately burst into a fit of -laughter far more uproarious than Dick's. Jimmy, running up as fast as -he could, saw both his friends laughing and capering like mad. - -"What on earth is the matter? Have you both gone crazy?" They pointed to -the Scotch fir. Jimmy looked, and immediately fell a roaring with -laughter as hard as the others. - -[Illustration: LONG-EARED OWL.] - -This is the explanation. On a horizontal bough of the tree were seated -six young long-eared owls. They were fully fledged, but unable to fly, -and according to their custom they had left their nest and were perched -together on this branch waiting for their parents to feed them. They -looked most extremely absurd and ridiculous as they sat, each on one -foot swaying to and fro after their manner on the bough, and gravely -winking their large brown eyes at the intruders. It is impossible to -give any idea of the comicality of the scene any more than it is -possible to give a true description in words of the grotesque gestures -of a clown. Of this owl Morris says,-- - -"It is readily tamed, and affords much amusement by the many grotesque -attitudes it assumes, to which its ears and eyes give piquancy. It may -often be detected that a small orifice is left through which it is -peeping when its eyes would seem to be shut, and it has the singular -faculty of being able to close one eye while the other is not shut, so -that it may appear wide awake on one side while apparently asleep on the -other, or if asleep, may be so literally with one eye open. The ears are -raised by excitement; at other times they are depressed." - -[Illustration: COMMON PARTRIDGE.] - -On its head this owl has two tufts of feathers which look like donkey's -ears, and give it its name. It is common in many parts of England, and -frequents thick fir-woods, where it builds in old nests of crows and -hawks, or even squirrels, which it lines with wool, and in which it lays -two or three round white eggs. - -Jimmy sadly wanted to take one of the young ones home, but the hawks -were as much as they could manage in the yacht, and after all, the owl -would be of no use to them, and it might die, so they reluctantly left -the birds on their perch to snore in peace. - -[Illustration: EGG OF COMMON PARTRIDGE.] - -"What is that partridge calling for?" said Frank. - -"I can't think," answered Jimmy. "It seems to come from the top of that -haystack, but that is a very unlikely place for a partridge in the -breeding season." - -"I will go up and see," said Dick, "if you will give me a back." They -soon lifted him up, and as they did so, a French or red-legged partridge -flew off. - -"Here is her nest with ten eggs in it," cried Dick, "what an -extraordinary spot for a nest." And so it was, but not altogether -singular, for the partridge has been known to build in a hollow tree, -and in other unlikely situations. - -Leaving the wood, they proceeded up a small stream which empties itself -into the Waveney. As they advanced, a sandpiper took short flights in -front of them. It was presently joined by another, and the two seemed so -uneasy, that the boys concluded that their nest could not be far off. -They therefore set to work to examine every likely spot with great care. -Dick was the one who found it, in fact he very nearly trod upon it. Four -cream-coloured eggs with brown spots, very much pointed and very large -for the size of the bird, lay in a hollow in a gravelly bank, upon a few -pieces of dry grass and leaves, the birds' apology for a nest. The -sandpipers flew over head, uttering their cry of "weet, weet, weet," -with great anxiety, and they looked so pretty, that the boys felt sorry -for them, and only took two of their eggs. - -The summer snipe, as this bird is also called, is well known to everyone -who wanders by the side of streams or lakes. Its white stomach contrasts -so prettily with its dusky back, and it walks so merrily about the -water-edge, trotting over the lily leaves, and taking short flights -before the angler, that it is one of my favourite birds, the kingfisher -and the water-ouzel being the other two. - -Jimmy had gone off up a small ravine thickly covered with underwood, in -search of a fern or two which he expected to find there. He had not been -gone long before they heard him give a loud shout, and turning towards -the spot, they saw a woodcock float out of a covert with that owl-like -flight which it sometimes affect. - -"Here is its nest," shouted Jimmy. - -This news was sufficient to make the boys rush at once to the place -where Jimmy stood. - -On the ground under a holly-bush was the nest, with four eggs in it, of -a dirty yellowish white, spotted with pale brown. - -[Illustration: COMMON SANDPIPER.] - -"Well," said Frank, "I think we have had an uncommonly good day." - -"So do I," replied Jimmy, "and I feel uncommonly hungry. Don't you?" - -"It seems to me that we do nothing but eat," observed Dick. - -"I should like to go to bed soon. I am tired, and my ribs ache from my -tumble," said Frank. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - - A Grizzly Bear.--Gossamers.--Strike only on the Box. - - -After Frank's cuts and bruises were plastered up, the boys turned into -their berths and were soon fast asleep. Now the hawks had been placed in -a corner at the foot of Jimmy's berth, and crouched together quiet and -sullen. The foot of Jimmy's bed was only about six inches from them, and -as he turned and twisted in his sleep, he pushed his foot out of the -bottom of the bed, exposing his toes within tempting reach of the young -hawks' talons. The natural consequence followed. One of the birds seeing -this capital chance of avenging himself on his enemies, seized fast hold -of Jimmy's big toe with his sharp beak. Jimmy jumped up with a loud -yell, and hitting his forehead against the roof of the cabin fell down -again on the floor. Frank, hearing a noise, started up not more than -half awake, and fell out of his hammock on to the top of Jimmy, whom he -seized by the throat. Dick awoke from a dream of Arctic exploration, and -cried out,-- - -"Is that a grizzly bear?" - -"Grizzly bear!" said Jimmy, whom Frank had released. "Something ten -times worse than a bear has seized my toe and bitten it off, or nearly -so, and then I hit my head against the roof, and Frank half choked me. I -think it is a great deal too bad." - -"You must have been dreaming, Jimmy," said Frank; "there is nothing here -that could bite your toe." - -"But I can feel that it is bleeding!" answered Jimmy, in a very injured -tone of voice. - -At that moment a noise in the corner of his berth attracted their -attention. - -"Oh, it must have been the hawks!" said Dick, and he and Frank went off -into fits of laughter, which only grew more boisterous as Jimmy -proceeded to light a candle, and bind his toe up with a piece of -sticking-plaster, grumbling all the time, and casting savage glances at -the offending birds. - -The light was put out, and they once more went to bed, Jimmy taking care -to tuck his feet well under him. Every now and then a smothered burst of -laughter from the other berths told him that his friends were still -enjoying the joke, and then, as his toe began to pain him less, his -sense of the ludicrous overcame his sense of outraged dignity, and just -as Dick and Frank were dropping off to sleep, they were again startled -by a peal of laughter from Jimmy. - -"Oh dear!" said Frank, "you will be the death of us, Jimmy. Have you -only now discovered the joke?" - -"Oh, don't make me laugh any more. My sides are aching so," said Dick. - -Once more composed, they went to sleep, and awoke early in the morning -to find that the gale had spent itself, and that a soft air from the -south blew warmly over the land. The sun shone his brightest, and the -birds sang their merriest. They had a bathe in the clear river water, -and dressed leisurely on the top of their cabin, while the sun, which -had not risen very long, threw their shadows, gigantic in size, over the -green meadows, which were covered with silvery gossamers--and then they -were witnesses of a curious phenomenon. Their shadows had halos of light -around them, extending about eighteen inches from each figure, all -around it. The strong light from behind them, shining on the wet and -gleaming gossamers, was no doubt the cause of this singular appearance. -The same sight has been seen when the grass was wet with dew. - -"The fields are quite silvery with the gossamer," said Dick. "Is it not -pretty!" - -"Yes, what a number of spiders there must be to cause such an -appearance," answered Frank. "It always puzzles me how those spiders -move about--and how is it that on some mornings they appear in such -immense quantities, while on the next morning, perhaps, not one will be -seen?" - -"I think they are always there," replied Dick, "but they are only -visible when the dew is falling heavily, and wetting them so that they -become visible. In the clear air, too, the sun will dry them so that we -shall not be able to see them; but they will be there all the same. Let -us gather a bunch of rushes with a lot of them on and examine them." - -He did so, and they saw great numbers of tiny spiders gliding about -their tiny webs. By and by, as they watched them, the little spiders -shot out long silvery threads, which floated out to leeward, and then -the spiders let go their hold and launched themselves into the air, and -were borne away by the faint south wind. - -"Oh, so that is the secret of their wandering, is it? Don't you wish you -could send a long floating thread from your stomach, Jimmy, and sail -away over the marshes? It would be as good as having wings." - -"Don't be so absurd, Frank." - -A wherry was being pushed up the stream by its two stalwart boatmen, by -the process known in Norfolk as quanting. The men placed their long -poles or quants into the river at the bow of the wherry, and, placing -their shoulders against them, walked to the stern, propelling the boat -along with their feet. By this laborious method, when the wind fails -them, do the wherrymen work their craft to their destination. As they -passed the yacht, one of them cried out-- - -"We have got no matches, guv'nor. Can you give us some?" - -"Certainly," replied Frank; and diving into the cabin, he returned with -a handful. These he handed to the wherryman, who thanked him and passed -on. The man stopped quanting and tried to strike a match by rubbing it -on the sole of his shoe. It failed to ignite, and he threw it down. -Another met with the same fate, and another also. Then he tried striking -them on wood, then on iron, then on his rough jacket, but all to no -purpose, and they could see him trying one after another, and throwing -them down with every symptom of disgust. - -"Why, Frank, those matches strike only on the box," said Dick. - -"I know that," replied Frank, laughing quietly. - -"Oh, that's too bad. Fancy the fellow's disgust!" - -They sailed up to the pretty little town of Beccles, where they took in -provisions, and Frank bought some more sticking-plaster in case of any -further accident. They then had a good dinner at the principal inn, and -afterwards called upon a friend, who took them over the large -printing-works near the town, where many books published in London are -printed. They began with the compositors' room, where, with marvellous -rapidity, the workmen were selecting the letters from their respective -boxes in the case of type, and arranging them in their proper order. The -extraordinary illegibility of some of the MSS. from which the -compositors were reading with apparent ease astonished our boys, who -could make nothing of them. They then paid a visit to the reader, who -has the wearisome and eye-tiring task of reading over and correcting the -proofs. When the proofs have been corrected and the "revise" submitted -to the author, and his corrections made, the process of stereotyping -comes in. The sheet of type is covered with a layer of plaster-of-paris, -which takes a perfect impression of the words on the sheet of type. From -this plaster-of-paris cast another cast is taken in metal, and this -forms the stereotype plate from which the book is printed. The type, -which is very valuable, can then be distributed to its proper places, -and used again. The stereotype plates are always kept stored in stacks, -like bottles in a wine-bin. - -Jimmy, being of a mechanical turn of mind, was very much interested in -the stereotyping process, and more particularly in the account they -received of the way in which many daily papers are printed. The -impression is in the first instance taken by means of a soft wet paper -of sufficient thickness. This is dried, and the molten metal is poured -upon it, and takes a perfect impression, without in any way spoiling the -paper mould, or "matrix," which can be used again, while a plaster one -cannot. Jimmy asked to be shown some wooden blocks from which wood -engravings are printed, and the boys examined them curiously. - -They received an invitation to spend the evening at their friend's -house, and after returning to the boat to feed the hawks with some -"lights" bought at a butcher's shop, they had a very pleasant evening, -and slept that night on shore. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - - Oulton Broad.--Lateeners.--Lowestoft.--Ringed-Plover's Nest.-- - Oyster-catcher.--Shore Fishing.--A Perilous Sail. - - -[Illustration: LATEEN SAIL.] - -They sailed quietly down the river again, and excited much attention -from the many yachts they met. They turned off along Oulton Dyke, and on -to Oulton Broad. The lake was full of craft of all rigs and sizes. There -had been a regatta there the day before, and the major part of the -yachts still remained. There was a stately schooner, moving with -dignity; a smart cutter, heeling well over, but dashing along at a great -pace; a heavy lugger; and, most graceful of all, the lateeners. These -are a class of boats peculiar to the Norfolk waters and to the -Mediterranean. The shape of them will be familiar to all who have ever -looked at a picture of the Bay of Naples. They carry immense yards, the -yard of a boat thirty feet long being about sixty feet in length. Such a -yard, of course, carries a very large sail. In addition to this large -sail they have a fore and aft mizen astern. They sail wonderfully close -to the wind, but in running before it they sometimes take it into their -heads to duck under, because the weight of the sail is all thrown on the -fore-part of the boat, and sometimes proves too much for it. - -A boat which attracted our boys' attention was a lugger, with her sails -crossed by strips of bamboo, so that they looked something like Venetian -blinds. These made the sails stand very flat and firm, and the boat so -rigged seemed to sail very fast. The sun-lit waters of the broad, -covered as they were with rapidly-moving yachts, whose white sails -contrasted with the blue water and sky and the green fringe of tall -reeds which encircled the lake, presented a very pretty spectacle, and -one that called forth the admiration of our young yachtsmen. As they -threaded their way through the numerous vessels, they saw that they -themselves were an object of curiosity, and as sound travels far on the -water, and people seldom think of that when they speak on it, the boys -overheard many comments upon themselves. Those upon their boat were -sometimes not flattering, but those upon their skill in handling her -upon that crowded water were very appreciative, and at length Frank -said, with something like a blush-- - -"Look here, this is getting too warm. I vote we moor her, and go to -Lowestoft to have a dip in the sea." - -The others agreed to this, and having moored the yacht in a safe place, -they took their departure. At the lower end of Oulton Broad is a lock, -by which vessels can be raised or lowered, as the case may be, to or -from Lake Lothing, a tidal piece of water, communicating with the sea -through Lowestoft harbour. A brigantine collier was in the lock when our -boys came up, and they stood and watched it come through, going out upon -a floating raft of wood, so as to see it better entering the broad. - -"Why, look at her bows. They are carved all over like an old-fashioned -mantel-piece." - -As it came through the lock, it knocked against their raft, and -threatened their safety, so seizing hold of the chains that hung over -its bows, they climbed on board and entered into a conversation with her -skipper. He told them that his ship was 100 years old, and he considered -her still stronger than many a ship of more recent build. He had on -board some beautiful little dogs of the Spanish breed, pure white and -curly-haired, with sharp noses, and bright black eyes. Dick insisted on -buying one. - -"We cannot have it on board with the hawks," said Frank. - -"But I shall send it home by the carrier from Lowestoft," answered Dick. - -[Illustration: RINGED-PLOVER.] - -They walked along the shores of Lake Lothing to Lowestoft, and went and -had a bathe. Then they walked along the cliffs towards Pakefield, and -while crossing a sandy spot Dick discovered a ringed plover's nest. -There were three eggs, cream-coloured, and blotched with brown. They -were simply laid in a hole in the sand. They saw the old birds running -along the shore before the wind, as is their habit, and looking very -pretty with their grey beaks, and white stomachs, and black collars. On -the shore they also saw some oyster catchers, with their plumage nearly -all black, except a white belt, and white bars on their wings; and also -a pair of redshanks, with their long red legs and bills, and French grey -plumage; but although their nests are common enough in Suffolk (in which -county our boys now were), they failed to find their eggs. The redshanks -nest on the ground in marshy places, and lay eggs of a great family -likeness to those of other birds which lay in similar positions. - -On the shore men and boys were fishing in the following manner:-- - -They had long lines with a number of hooks on at regular intervals, -which were baited with mussels. One end of the line was pegged into the -sand; the other was heavily weighted with lead. They had a -throwing-stick with a slit at one end. Into this slit the line next the -weight was introduced. With the aid of the stick the line was thrown out -a considerable distance. After being allowed to rest some time it was -hauled in, and the fish taken off. In this way they caught flat-fish and -small codlings, and some of them had accumulated a large heap of fish. - -[Illustration: OYSTER-CATCHER.] - -Two boatmen came up to the boys, and asked them if they would like a -sail. "We'll take you for an hour for sixpence each." - -"Well, it's reasonable enough," said Frank; "I vote we go." So they -stepped on board and were soon tacking merrily about, a mile or two from -land. - -"Did you ever see two uglier fellows than our boatmen?" said Dick in a -whisper to Frank. - -"No--but what are they staring at that steamer so hard for?" A large -yacht was making direct for Lowestoft harbour. - -"I say," said Frank, "is not that steamer standing too close in shore? -There is a bank of sand somewhere about there. I remember seeing remains -of a wreck there not long ago." - -"Hush! hold your tongue," answered the steersman. - -"What do you mean, sir? If she goes on in that course she'll strike." - -The man looked savagely at him, and replied, - -"Look here, young man, if she strikes there will be no harm done. The -sea is too smooth, and we shall be the first on the spot to help them -off, and we shall get a good long sum of money for salvage. If you hold -your tongue and say nothing you shall go shares. If you don't, I'll -crack your head for you, so mind you don't give her any signal." - -"You unfeeling fellow!" said Frank. "Shout, Jimmy and Dick, with all -your might. I will settle this blackguard." - -Jimmy and Dick obeyed and waved their hats to the advancing yacht. The -man at the helm could not let go the tiller, but his mate made the sheet -fast, and rose to strike Frank. Frank seized the stretcher from the -bottom of the boat and raised it in the air. - -"Touch me, if you dare!" he said. - -The brute struck at him, enraged at the prospect of losing so large a -sum of money as his share of the salvage would amount to. Frank avoided -the blow, and with all the strength of his lithe young body, brought the -stretcher down on the fellow's skull. He dropped to the bottom of the -boat, and lay there as still as a log. - -"Now we are three to one," he said to the steersman, "so you must do as -we tell you." - -The man was a coward at heart, though a bully by nature, so he dared -make no objection. - -Meanwhile the yacht sheered off, but not soon enough to avoid just -touching the end of the shoal, and getting a bump, which threw the -people on her deck down, and gave them a fright. They passed on without -so much as shouting "thank you." - -They now steered for the shore, Frank retaining the stretcher in his -hand, in case of an attack. The man whom he had stunned soon came to -himself, and growled and swore horribly, but dared not do more. When -they landed Frank said, "Now you are a pair of blackguards, and I shall -not pay you anything;" and followed by his companions he turned away. -Before he had gone many steps, however, he turned back and said, while -he pitched them half-a-crown: "There, that's for plaster!" - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - - Animals which never die.--A Wonderful Tip to his Tail.-- - Thunderstorm.--Swan's Nest.--Bearded Tit.--Reed-wrens and Cuckoo. - - -The next day they sailed down the Waveney, until they came to Haddiscoe, -and then, instead of continuing down to Breydon Water, they went along -the New Cut, a wide channel which unites the Waveney with the Yare, -joining the latter at Reedham. They found the channel of the Yare very -much broader than the Bure or the Waveney; and as they had a favourable -breeze for the greater part of the way, and there was plenty of room to -tack in the reaches where it was against them, they made rapid progress. - -As they sailed quietly along, Dick lay on the roof of the cabin reading -a number of _Science Gossip_ which they had bought at Lowestoft. -Presently he cried out,-- - -"Do you know that there are animals which never die?" - -The others laughed at the idea, but Dick proceeded to read out as -follows:-- - -"Will the reader be astonished to hear that there are exceptions to the -universal law of death, that there are animals, or at any rate portions -of animals, which are practically immortal. Such, however, is really the -case. I allude to a species of the genera Nais and Syllis, marine worms -of no special interest to the ordinary observer, but those who have -watched their habits closely, tell us of the almost extraordinary power -of spontaneous division which they enjoy. Self-division, as a means of -propagation, is common enough among the lower members of both animal and -vegetable kingdoms, but the particular kind to which I refer now, is, I -believe, peculiar to these singular worms. At certain periods the -posterior portion of the body begins to alter its shape materially, it -swells and grows larger, and the transverse segments become more -strongly marked. At the last joint, at the point where it joins the -first segment of the body, a true head is formed, furnished with -antennæ, jaws, and whatever else goes to make a marine worm "perfect -after its kind," and forthwith the whole drops off, a complete animal, -capable of maintaining a separate existence. Whether the process goes on -for ever--that is to say, throughout all generations--of course, no one -can tell; but if it does--and there is no reason to suppose the -contrary--then it is self-evident that the posterior portion of one of -these worms is, as I observed before, practically never dying. It is -simply fitted every now and then with a new head! In fact, the tail of -the first Syllis ever formed, provided it has had the good luck to -escape external accident, must still be in existence--a truly venerable -animal, and without controversy the 'oldest inhabitant' of the seas." - -"It strikes me," said Frank, "that that animal would be something like -the Irishman's stocking, which he had worn for a score of years. It had -been re-footed and re-legged several times, yet he always asserted that -it was the original stocking, although there was not a particle of the -old stuff in it." - -"What a wonderful tip to his tail some animal has got then, if that is -true," said Jimmy. - -I cannot say whether the statement of the writer in _Science Gossip_ is -strictly accurate, for who can decide when doctors disagree; but it -seems plain enough that the process of generation by sub-division is far -nearer the longed-for perpetual life, than anybody has been able to get -to the coveted solution of the problem of perpetual motion. - -"Do you know that the water we are sailing on is higher than the marshes -around us?" said Frank. - -"Yes, and all those windmills are to pump the water up from the drains. -They look very funny twirling away all by themselves." - -Early in the day they reached a public-house surrounded by a little -grove of trees, which gave an agreeable variety to the landscape. This -was Coldham Hall, and as the sky was clouding over and the wind sighing -fitfully through the reeds and the trees, and there was every symptom of -a violent storm, the boys decided to remain there until the morrow, and -then sail up to Norwich. - -During the afternoon they amused themselves by fishing for eels, which -were biting very freely. The heavens grew black, and the thunder -muttered at intervals, but the storm held off until the evening, and -then as it was getting dark it came on most violently. The rain came -down in torrents. The lightning lit up the marsh for miles most vividly, -and each flash was succeeded by an intenser blackness, while the -bellowing of the thunder made the very earth shake. The boys stood at -the door of the inn, gazing at the storm and awe-struck by its mighty -power. - -"I don't like the idea of sleeping on the river to-night," said Jimmy. -"The landlord has a bedroom vacant, and I vote we sleep here instead of -going on board." - -The others willingly consented, and Dick and Jimmy had a double-bedded -room between them, while Frank slept in a small attic. As the night wore -on the storm passed away, but its mutterings could still be heard. Jimmy -did not like thunder, and felt very nervous while it was about, as many -otherwise brave people will. He could not for the life of him go to -sleep, and lay tossing about in a most uncomfortable state for half the -night, while Dick was slumbering peacefully. Jimmy could stand it no -longer, and got out of bed with the intention of arousing Dick, and -getting him to talk to him. He stole across the room, and by the faint -starlight which came from the sky, which had partially cleared after the -storm, he saw that Dick had kicked all the bed-clothes off, and lay very -deep in slumber. He touched him lightly on the foot to awake him gently. -To his amazement Dick lifted his leg and began to wave it slowly -backwards in the air, at the same time whistling softly. Jimmy was so -struck with the oddity of this procedure in a sleeping man that he burst -into a peal of laughter. Even this did not wake Dick; and Jimmy, having -now something to occupy his mind, went back to bed and laughed himself -to sleep. When he detailed the incident to the others in the morning -they would not believe him, but said that he must have been dreaming. - -[Illustration: SWAN'S NEST.] - -The morning broke sunny and with a wonderful freshness in the air, which -put the boys into the highest spirits. They sailed a little way up the -river to Surlingham Broad, which they wished to explore. They sailed -past the main entrance to the broad, thinking there was a wider passage -further on. Finding they were mistaken, they attempted to take the punt -through a narrow and sinuous dyke which appeared to lead into the -broad. They pushed their way along this for some distance until it -became so narrow and shallow that they could scarcely get on. Just then -they came round a corner of reeds, and to their dismay found that they -had come suddenly upon a swan's nest. The female swan was sitting upon a -huge pile of sticks placed on a small reedy island. Round this island -the male swan was swimming in a very stately fashion, and when he saw -the boys coming so near his beloved, he swam towards them, with his -wings and tail raised and set out in a way that unmistakably told them -he meant war. They hastily pushed back, but the punt stuck in the mud, -and Frank had to take an oar and keep the swan at bay with it, while the -others pushed the punt off and back again. - -[Illustration: SWAN.] - -"Pray, look sharp," said Frank, "I cannot keep him at bay much longer -without my hurting him or his hurting me." - -"We're doing our best," said Jimmy, and missing his footing as he spoke -he fell into the mud and water. - -"That's no help," said Frank, giving the swan a sharp poke with the oar. -Jimmy scrambled into the boat, and the swan, satisfied that they were in -full retreat, gave up the pursuit. - -They went back to the yacht, where Jimmy changed his clothes, and then -went on to the broad by the proper channel. - -Their object in visiting this broad was to find the nest of the bearded -tit, which Bell had told them bred there in great numbers. This -beautiful little bird is now becoming very rare. Its home is among the -reed-beds of Norfolk and Suffolk, but it has been so shot down wholesale -by bird-stuffers, and its eggs collected for sale, that it has become -exceedingly rare. It is a very pretty bird, having a long tail, -fawn-coloured back, and white belly, but its distinguishing feature is -that it has a pair of moustaches in the shape of black tufts of feathers -depending from either side of its mouth. Very properly, too, it is only -the males which have this appearance. In Norfolk it is called the reed -pheasant. It is very interesting to see a flock of them flitting about -the reeds. Like all the tit family, they are very lively, jerking up and -down the reed-stems in all sorts of positions, and as often as not with -their heads down and their tails up. - -Apart from the open water of the broad, there were numerous channels -among the reeds which latter rose to the height of seven or eight feet -above the water. Along these channels the boys made their way, listening -attentively to the chirping of the birds, which they could hear but not -see. By keeping very still they could at length distinguish two or three -of the birds they sought, flitting about the reeds, and by the aid of -their glass they could perceive the birds with great distinctness. The -movements of one bird led them to its nest, and pushing their way with -some difficulty they were fortunate enough to find it. It was built of -dry stems of grass and sedges, and was placed about a foot from the -ground (or water, for it was a compound of both), in the midst of a -thick clump of reeds. It contained five eggs as large as those of a -great tit, pinkish-white in colour, spotted and streaked with reddish -brown, something like those of a yellow-hammer. While they were debating -how many of the eggs they should take, Frank saw a tit fly from a tuft -of reeds a few yards off, and on going there they found another nest -with four eggs in it. This was lucky, for it enabled them to take two -eggs from each nest without feeling any compunction. - -[Illustration: CUCKOO AND EGG.] - -They found several of the beautiful purse-like nests of the reed wrens -attached midway up the tall reed-stems. In one of them there was a young -cuckoo, the sole occupant of the nest. What had become of the little -reed-wrens was plainly to be seen by the bodies which strewed the ground -beneath. The poor little fledglings had been ousted from their home by -the broad-backed cuckoo. I suppose we ought not to call him cruel, -because it is the instinct of self-preservation which makes him behave -so badly. If the young birds, the legitimate owners of the nest, had -been allowed to remain, the old birds could not have fed them all, and -the young cuckoo must have starved. The boys watched the nest for some -time to see the old birds feed it, and they were greatly delighted to -see the way in which the reed-wrens managed it. _They perched on the -young cuckoo's back_ while they placed the food in its broad mouth. It -was the only standing room there was, for the cuckoo more than covered -the whole of the nest. - -"Who wouldn't be a naturalist!" said Frank, "when he can see such things -as that?" - -Dick replied, "I did not know that life could possibly be so jolly, -until I learnt something of natural history. I do wonder that so few -fellows take to it. I suppose it is because books make it appear so dry. -Books don't seem to me to go into the _sport_ of the thing. They only -show you the surface of it, and not the life. I will try to write a book -some day when--" and he hesitated. - -"When you get more conceited, eh, Dick?" said Frank laughingly. - -Then they sailed up to Bramerton, and when they brought up at the -Wood's-end public-house they found a number of old school-fellows there, -and the racing four-oar belonging to the school club. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - - Old School fellows.--Tom-tit's Nest in Boot.--Nuthatch.-- - Wryneck.--Ant-hill.--Marsh-Tit.--A Comical Fix. - - -As the _Swan_ was brought up to her moorings at the Staithe the boys who -were assembled on the green before the front of the house rushed down to -inspect the strange boat and then to claim acquaintanceship with Frank -and Jimmy. They were their old school-fellows, and were glad to see -their old companions again. They swarmed over the yacht, criticising -her, and asking questions about her and the cruise of the boys. - -Marston, a great big fellow, dived into the cabin exclaiming, "What a -jolly little box!" and sat down on a berth to see how it felt. No -sooner, however, had he sat down than he jumped up and out on deck, as -quickly as a Jack in a box does when the spring is touched, at the same -time uttering a howl of pain. - -"What is the matter?" said Frank. - -"I do not know," answered Marston, poking his head into the cabin again -to see what was there, while he rubbed his back disconsolately. The fact -of the matter was that he had sat down in the corner where the hawks -were, and they, seeing an inviting bit of bare flesh between the -waistband of his breeches and his jersey, had saluted him with a _one_, -_two_, of very remarkable poignancy. - -Jimmy's delight at this incident was unbounded. He felt now that he was -amply repaid for the damage to his own big toe. When the general laugh -at this incident had subsided, Marston said:-- - -"I say, Frank, we are going to row a race with the Norwich Rowing Club. -A four-oared race; it comes off the day after to-morrow; and most -unfortunately our No. 3 has sprained his wrist and cannot row, and we -did not know what to do. We have no other man big enough to take his -place who is in condition. We were discussing the matter as you came up. -Now, you are a good rower; will you row for us?" - -Frank was pleased at the invitation, especially as it was backed up by -the others most cordially; but he said-- - -"I have not rowed for so long a time that I am quite out of condition." - -"Oh, nonsense, you look in perfect condition. If you have been out for a -week's yachting you must be in capital condition. Do row, or we shall -lose the race to a certainty." - -"You had better row, Frank," said both Jim and Dick together, but he -still hesitated. - -"Come, Dick," said Jim, "let us go and birds'-nest in the wood while -Frank listens to the voice of the charmer." - -So off they went, leaving Frank and the others to settle the question -between them. - -Behind the inn there rose a steep wood-crowned bank, and it was to this -that the two boys directed their steps. On their way they passed a -skittle-alley, and Dick said to the man in charge-- - -"Can you show us any birds' nests?" - -"Yes, I can show you one in a very rum place. Look into that old pair of -boots hanging against the wall." - -They did so, and to their surprise a tom-tit flew out, and upon closer -inspection they found its nest in one of the boots, and in the nest -twelve tiny white eggs. - -"These are master's marsh-boots, but when he found that the birds had -begun to build in them, he gave orders that no one was to touch them -until the birds had hatched off their young ones." - -[Illustration: TOM-TIT AND EGG.] - -Tom-tits have a knack of building their nests in strange places. Inside -a pillar letter-box, where letters were being tossed every day; in a -hole in a door-post, which was closed when the door was shut, so that -the birds were shut up during the night; in the pocket of a gardener's -coat hanging on a nail. Such are the places in which master tom-tit -sometimes builds his nest. Even more curious, however, was a nest I read -of which was built by a fly-catcher in the spring of a bell, which -vibrated twenty times a day when the bell was rung. - -When they reached the wood, Dick's attention was attracted by the -movements of a bird with a slaty blue back and fawn-coloured belly, -which was flitting about the trunk of a large beech-tree. - -"What bird is that, Jimmy?" he asked. - -"It is a nuthatch. Let us watch it, and perhaps we may see its nest." - -[Illustration: NUTHATCH.] - -After a little while they saw it disappear into a hole in a neighbouring -tree. Going up to this, they found that it was its nest, and that it was -made after a fashion peculiar to these pretty birds. The nest was built -in a hole in a tree, but the hole being larger than was required by the -birds, they had built up the entrance with mud, like that which forms a -swallow's nest, leaving an aperture only just large enough for the old -birds to get in and out. Dick got on Jimmy's shoulders, and broke away a -piece of mud, so that he could get his hand in. - -"There are five eggs, white with brown spots, and I have caught the old -bird on." - -"Let her go, and take two of the eggs; I know Frank hasn't got any." - -Dick did so, and then moistening the piece of mud which he had removed, -in a little pool which was near, he fixed it very neatly in its proper -place again. - -Proceeding a little further, they saw a bird about as big as a nuthatch, -but very different in appearance. It had a curiously mottled and -brown-lined back. Every now and then it descended to the ground, and -flew back again to a hole in a decayed poplar, varying the journey with -wanderings up and down the trunk of that and adjacent trees. As it did -so, it stretched forth its head and twisted its neck about in a very -peculiar fashion. - -[Illustration: WRYNECK.] - -"That can be nothing else but a wryneck," said Jimmy, noticing its -movement. "Its nest must be in that hole; but what is it picking from -the ground?" - -[Illustration: WORKING ANT AND PORTION OF ANT-HILL.] - -Underneath a large fir-tree was a big conical heap of straw and leaves. -Upon examination it was found to be swarming with large -chestnut-coloured ants. It was a nest of the wood-ant, and thousands of -the tiny creatures were busy dragging straws and sticks to build up the -nest, or grains of wheat or other food. It was a grand feast for the -wryneck, which had been picking up the ants' eggs, and carrying them to -its young ones. The boys stood for some time looking at the busy heap, -until from looking at the whole together they came to selecting -particular ants and speculating on their destination, for every ant had -a purpose in going and coming. One about a foot from the hill was -tugging a piece of straw which was evidently too large for him to pull -along unassisted, so he left it, and presently returned with a -companion, and the two together managed to take the straw along -capitally. Dick was much struck with this incident, which looked more -like reason than instinct. And he would have stayed longer watching the -ants, had not Jimmy been in a hurry to climb up to the wryneck's nest, -and he could not do without Dick's help, who had to give him a back. -When he got up he very nearly came down again, so startled was he to -hear a loud hissing in the hole like that of a snake. The wryneck flew -off, and as there could not be a bird and a snake together in the hole, -he concluded that the bird had made the noise with intention to -frighten him, and he boldly put his hand into the hole and popped his -fingers into the gaping mouths of some young wrynecks. He nevertheless -felt carefully about, in hope of finding an addled egg, and he was not -disappointed. There were two addled eggs, which he brought down in -safety. They were pure white, about the size of a swift's. - -[Illustration: EGG OF WRYNECK.] - -They now came to something in Dick's line. On a tall nettle-top sat a -small tortoiseshell butterfly opening and shutting its wings with the -fanning motion peculiar to its tribe. The rays of sunlight falling -through the foliage of the trees overhead lit up the beauty of its red -and black wings. Dick had not his net with him, so taking off his cap, -he made after the butterfly, which launched into strong flight, and -sailed away out of the wood and over the meadows with Dick in hot -pursuit. - -Jimmy went on rambling through the wood, and presently saw a small tree -which divided into two branches about a dozen feet from the ground. At -this fork of the tree it was split some distance down, and, in this -split, some moss betokened a nest of some kind. Jimmy threw a stone up, -and as it clattered against the tree, a bird like a tom-tit, but with a -black head, flew out. Jimmy watched it as it fluttered about the -branches of the tree a few yards off, and soon came to the conclusion -that it was a marsh-tit, and that its eggs were worth having. - -[Illustration: MARSH TIT AND EGG.] - -He accordingly climbed up the tree, and found that he could not reach -the nest, which was too far down in the slit. By dint, however, of -sitting on one of the forks, and pushing with all his might at the -other, he succeeded in opening the crack wide enough for him to insert -his hand and reach the nest. It contained eight eggs, white spotted -with red. He took four of them, and sitting in the fork of the tree, he -blew them and put them in his box. Then he thought of descending, and -attempted to jump to the ground. To his astonishment he found himself -brought up sharp, and then he saw that his trousers had caught in the -slit, and that a large portion of the slack of them behind was firmly -wedged in; and there he hung with his legs dangling in the air with -ludicrous helplessness. He tried to haul himself up again, but he was in -such an awkward position that he could not do it. He tried to open the -crack with his hands, but with the weight of his body on the one side -instead of in the middle, this could not be done. In despair he let go -with his hands, in the hope that his trousers would tear and that he -would fall to the ground; but they were too stout for that, and he only -narrowly escaped turning topsy turvy and hanging in a worse position. -Then he fell to laughing vigorously at the comical scrape he had got -into. He did not laugh long, however, for he was very uncomfortable, and -kick and struggle as he would, he could not get free. Then he felt more -inclined to cry than he ever had done in his life before. It was so very -humiliating to be hung up there like a cockchafer at the end of a pin. -When he found he could not get down by himself he began to shout for -help. - -"Dick, Dick, Dick!" but no Dick came. The fact was that Dick who had -been unsuccessful in his chase after the butterfly, had returned to the -spot from whence he started, and then not seeing Jimmy about, he -concluded that he had gone back to the others--and all the time Jimmy -was still up in the tree shouting lustily. Dick heard an inarticulate -shouting, but never for one moment imagined it came from Jimmy. When, -however, he saw that Jimmy was not with the others, he thought of the -shouting; and they all went in search of the missing one, and when they -found him they went into such fits of laughter that for some time no one -could help him. - -"Oh dear, Jimmy, you will be the death of me! This is worse than the big -toe affair," said Frank. - -"I say," said Jimmy, "don't tell anyone at home about this, there's a -good fellow." - -"All right, I won't." - -Frank had agreed to row in the race, and while Jimmy and Dick sailed the -yacht up to Norwich, he went for a racing spin in the four-oar, and -found that he was in much better condition than he had thought. - -When they reached Norwich they found some letters awaiting them. Frank -after reading his, said,-- - -"Hallo, Master Dick, you never said that you were going to send that dog -you bought at Mutford to my sister Mary." - -"Didn't I?" answered Dick blushing. - -"No, of course you didn't. Well, here is a message for you from her; she -says, 'Tell Dick that I am very much obliged to him for the pretty -little dog. He is a sweet little dear, but he soon got into a scrape. He -went into the laundry and ate up the blue-bag, flannel and all, and he -isn't a bit the worse, although Florrie says she is sure his white coat -will turn blue.'" - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - - The Boat-race.--Winning.--Mr. Marston.--Nightingale and Nest.-- - The noise of the Nightingales. - - -The next morning Frank had another row in the four-oar, and in the -afternoon they practised starts. The boat went very well indeed, -notwithstanding the importation of new blood into it at the last hour. -The day of the race came, a beautiful summer day with a gentle breeze, -and the glare of the sun subdued by light clouds. - -The race was at three o'clock, and a goodly company had assembled at -Whitlingham to witness it. The course was from below Postwick Grove to -Whitlingham, a distance of two miles, the latter part of which was a -long straight course, where for nearly a mile the boats could be seen by -all the spectators. - -"How do you feel, old man?" said Jimmy to Frank as he was in the -boat-house dressing. - -"Oh, all right; we mean to win." - -"I don't know that you will though. I have seen the other crew rowing -past on their way to the course. They have got such a splendid long -stroke and swing so evenly." - -"Yes, they row well," said Marston, who was the stroke of Frank's boat, -"but they have not got enough of 'go' in them. They take it too easily, -and so don't get a good grip of the water; and I think they have -over-trained. Still we shall have a hard job to beat them, but we all -mean to try. Now look here, you fellows. This is what I mean to do. We -will put on a spurt at first, and get ahead of them, and then settle -down into a steady stroke." - -This was very good advice, for it is a well-known fact that boys row -with all the more _esprit_ if they can only get a start at the -beginning. They are not so good at rowing a 'waiting' race as men are, -but if they can but get ahead at first they always have a very good -chance against men who are much stronger than themselves. - -Dick and Jimmy went to their yacht, and as the wind, although light, -was dead aft, they sailed down to Whitlingham before the racing-boats -arrived there. There was a goodly number of spectators on the fair green -meadow which lies between the river and the wood, for the race had -excited some interest. The gay dresses of the ladies made the scene very -lively and pretty. Dick gallantly made it known that the yacht, which -they had moored by the winning-post, was at the service of the ladies, -and his offer was taken advantage of, and the _Swan's_ deck was soon -crowded with the fair sex. - -The Norwich boat was the first to appear on the scene. On they came with -a long swinging stroke on their way to the starting-point. Nothing could -be prettier to look at than their style of going. The crew rowed a long -stroke which had every appearance of strength. They bent to and fro with -the regularity of machines. The oars were pulled well home to the -breast, the wrists dropped, and the oars feathered cleverly; the arms -shot out, quickly followed by the body until the breast came well -between the wide-open knees, but there was just one fault noticeable. -The oars were put too gingerly into the water. There was no 'grip.' The -men looked as if their boat were too light for them, and they were -afraid of making her roll by too great an exertion of force. The men, -too, looked pale and over-trained. - -A few minutes after they had passed, the boys came by with a quick, -lively stroke, such a quick dash in it, and a firm grip of the water at -the commencement of the stroke, that promised to do them good service. -They did not go nearly so smoothly as their opponents; nor was this to -be wondered at, seeing the change which had been effected so late in the -day. - -Dick and Jimmy ran down the bank of the river to the starting-point, -accompanied by many more. - -And now the boats were side by side, waiting for the signal to start. As -the wind was light there was not much drifting, and a few strokes of the -oars of bow and stroke kept them in position. - -Frank settled himself well on his seat, and waited for the word. The -starter said, "I shall ask if you are ready and then say Go!" - -"Now mind," said Marston, "one short stroke to get her away, and then -row with all your might to get her ahead." - -"Are you ready?" - -Frank grasped his oar firmly, and drew in his breath. - -"_Go!_" - -The oars flashed in the water, and then it seemed to Frank as if the -other crew were fast drawing away from them. He clenched his teeth and -threw all his power into the stroke, pulling with every muscle of his -body from his scalp to his toes. The river was white with the foam -churned by the oars. There seemed to be a deafening noise of rushing -water and rattle of oars in the rowlocks. Marston's jersey had been hung -on a nail, and this had caused a projection in it at the back of the -neck. On this Frank fixed his eyes, neither looking to right or left of -him for fear he should make the boat roll and lose time. Then out of the -corner of his eye he saw that he was opposite number two in the rival -boat, and he knew that they were gaining. Another dozen strokes and they -were clear. Then Marston eased a bit, and the boys got into a little -better time. Their coxswain tried to take the water of the other boat, -and thus nearly caused a foul at the bend in the river, but Marston -shook his head at him and he steered his own course. - -Frank had now lost his nervousness, and felt pretty comfortable and able -to take a little notice of what was passing on the banks, where a small -crowd was running at the top of its speed abreast of them; a noise which -had been humming in his ears resolving itself into the eager shouts of -the partisans of the rival crews. - -Dick was well in advance, saying, "Well rowed, number three; splendidly -rowed, Frank;" and Jimmy was a little way behind him shouting as -excitedly. Frank for a time fell into the error of thinking that he was -doing the real work of the boat, and began to row somewhat too -violently, when a warning voice from the bank cried out--"Steady, steady -number three!" and that recalled him to himself. - -They were now in the straight reach, and in sight of the winning-post, -and their opponents were steadily gaining on them. "Why doesn't Marston -quicken?" thought Frank impatiently; but his stroke knew what he was -about, and he kept on steadily until the boats were level once more. -Frank's hands were becoming numbed, for he was so afraid of slipping his -oar that he grasped it more firmly than was needful. His wind was going -too, and his tongue seemed swollen and clove to the roof of his mouth. -He ventured a side glance at number three in the other boat, and was -relieved to find that he seemed in quite as bad a plight as himself. An -unlucky swan got in the way, and Frank struck it violently with his oar, -and very nearly caught a crab in consequence. A sudden puff of wind blew -somebody's hat off, and Frank smiled as he saw it float past and knew -that it was Dick's. - -The oars flashed with increasing quickness, the shouts on the bank grew -louder, and still the long slim boats swept over the water side by side, -their opponents drawing slightly ahead. - -[Illustration: PAIR-OARED BOAT.] - -"Now!" gasped Marston; and Frank knew that the time for the final spurt -had come, and if the stroke had been quick before it was doubly so now. -Frank felt that each stroke must be his last, but he struggled on; and -just as he felt faint (for his want of training had told) and he lost -sight of the other boat in a mist, he heard the sound of a pistol and -knew that the winning post was reached. - -"Who's won?" he managed to ask. - -"We have, by half a length," answered the coxswain. - -[Illustration: MR. MARSTON'S HOUSE.] - -They drew close up to the bank amid the cheers of the people, and they -staggered ashore; and Frank went away a little distance and leaned -against a tree with his face to the wind, trying to regain his breath -again. Who does not know the agony of thus fighting for breath after a -severe struggle! Even the excitement of victory does not atone at the -moment for the penalty of over-exertion. Dick and Jimmy fanned him with -their hats--or rather Dick used his handkerchief, for his hat had gone -to the bottom by this time. - -As soon as he had got his wind back Frank turned to the others, and was -at once seized by his companions and raised on their shoulders, and then -carried in triumph to a carriage where some ladies sat. A tall clergyman -approached, and he said,-- - -"You rowed splendidly, number three; wonderful, considering, as I am -told, you had no training for the race. I hope you will be none the -worse for it. Will you have some champagne?" - -[Illustration: NIGHTINGALE.] - -Frank could not resist a mighty draught of the cool wine, although it is -anything but a good thing to take at such a time. An orange is the best -thing,--it slakes the thirst, and does no injury to the stomach. The -clergyman turned out to be Marston's father, and his mother and sisters -were in the carriage. They invited our three boys to dine with them that -evening; and after the yacht had been taken to her moorings near the -railway bridge, the boys walked a mile out of the town to Mr. Marston's -house, and there spent a very pleasant evening. After dinner they played -croquet, and once, when it was Frank's turn to play it was found that he -was totally oblivious of the game, and had his eyes fixed on an elegant -brown bird which was flitting about the shrubs in the garden. - -"Now then, Frank," said Marston, "it is your turn." Frank played and -then asked, - -"Is not that bird a nightingale?" - -"Yes, her nest is at the bottom of that bush. Watch how she goes to it." - -[Illustration: NIGHTINGALE'S NEST.] - -The bird hopped about in a promiscuous sort of way, just as if there -were no nest there, and then, when she got near it, she hopped upon it -in quite an accidental manner. - -"She knows that we know her nest is there, because we look at it every -day, but she always pretends she is only there by accident." - -Frank went to look at the nest. It was untidy in make, built of straw -and twigs, and lined with leaves. It contained five olive-brown eggs -which were near to hatching. - -"You must not take any of these, Mr. Merivale," said Miss Marston. - -"No, I do not wish to do so," said Frank, but his looks so belied his -words that they all laughed at him. - -"There are two more nests about the grounds," said Marston, "and I have -some eggs in the house which you can have." - -Frank thanked him, and asked if there were any more nightingales about. - -"There are so many about that many times I cannot go to sleep for the -noise they make." - -"Noise!" said his sister reproachfully. - -"Yes, when it is dinned into one's ears so much, any singing becomes -noisy." - -Frank thought his friend was joking, but about ten o'clock they were -strolling about the grounds in the bright moonlight, and then they heard -nightingales singing all round them. The boys thought they had never -heard such sweet sounds. First the song would commence with an intensely -sweet, low, single note or pipe. Then would follow a strong clear flood -of melody which was entrancing in its richness. Then the bird would -cease, and in a few seconds another bird would answer from a little -distance. Then the first one would reply, and a third would take up the -strain from a different quarter. The moonlight silence of the night, the -ravishing strains of bird music which made the grove vocal, and the -heavy fragrance of the flowers which floated on the dewy air, made the -evening most perfect and beautiful. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - - A queer Umbrella.--Visit to Scoulton Gullery.--Driving Tandem.-- - Running away.--Black-headed Gulls.--Collecting the Eggs.--Carp.-- - Wood Argus Butterfly.--Scarlet Pimpernel.--Grasshopper Warbler.-- - Chiff-Chaff.--Gall-Fly.--Robins' Pincushions. - - -The boys slept at the Royal Hotel that night, and to their surprise -found Sir Richard's groom there. He had brought the brougham to town for -repairs, and had orders to wait until it was finished, which would not -be until the next day but one. In the meantime his two ponies were in -the stables with nothing to do. Here was a good opportunity for a long -drive. Frank at once suggested that they should drive to Scoulton and -see the breeding-place of the black-headed gulls. This was agreed to -without hesitation. Then Frank said that as he had a pair of horses they -might as well drive tandem, and he undertook to drive. Mason, the groom, -objected to this, because he was afraid that Master Frank could not -drive well enough; but Frank was positive that he could, although he had -never driven tandem before. He said he knew the theory, and he was -certain the practice was easy. At last it was agreed that the horses -should be harnessed tandem, and that if Frank could not manage them he -was to give the reins up to Mason. - -"Why do the black-headed gulls breed at Hingham, which is an inland -place? I always thought they bred by the sea," said Dick. - -"The black-headed gulls don't. Every year as the breeding season -approaches, they leave the sea and go to certain lakes or rivers, where -from 'time immemorial' they have bred. Scoulton Mere near Hingham is one -of these places, and they breed there in countless numbers, going there -in March and leaving in July or August. It is a sight worth seeing, I -can assure you. There are not many places in England now where they -breed in such numbers as they do at Scoulton," answered Frank. - -"What a curious instinct it is which leads them there. And how funny -that for half a year they should live on salt food by the sea, and then -for the other half on fresh-water food," said Dick. - -Frank and Jimmy were standing in the archway of the Royal Hotel the next -morning wondering where Dick was. It was raining heavily, and they had -had to put off starting to Hingham. Presently Dick was seen running up -the Walk with his coat collar turned up, evidently pretty well drenched. -Under his arm however he had a very nice-looking umbrella. - -"Oh, Dick," said Frank as he joined them, "whatever have you been buying -an umbrella for, and why, having bought one, do you not put it up when -it rains?" - -"I believe every person I passed all the way from the top of St. Giles's -Street would have liked to ask me that question. They plainly thought -that I was a fool," Dick answered rather crossly. - -"Well, no wonder. Why didn't you put it up?" - -"It is not an umbrella at all, but a butterfly-net;" and he unfolded the -supposed umbrella and opened it out into a good-sized butterfly-net. - -"I did not much like to be seen carrying a great butterfly-net through -the town, so I thought this a good dodge to save appearances, and lo and -behold it serves me this trick the first time I carry it." - -"Well, it could not help the rain, Dick," said Frank laughing. - -These umbrella-nets are capital things, although they are useless in a -shower. The reader may easily make one for himself in this way: Get an -old umbrella-stick and place the catch which holds the umbrella open, -lower down, so as to increase the diameter of your net; then get two -slips of strong crinoline steel, make the ends red hot, and bend them -with a pliers into little loops. Then fasten one end of each to the top -of the stick with a piece of wire, and the other ends to the sliding -ferrule. When this ferrule is pushed up to the catch the steels form a -circle, to which the net can be attached. Slip the ferrule back, and the -net can be rolled up round the stick just like an ordinary umbrella, and -a case put over it. A very handy and useful net is thus formed, and one -which is very portable. If you do not care to make it, it may be bought -from a dealer for a small sum, but I should advise every boy to make -himself all the things he can. He will thus not only save his money to -buy those things which he cannot make, but he will (which is far more -important) learn how to turn his hand to useful purposes, and encourage -habits of self-reliance which will be very useful to him in after life. -In addition to this, one gets far more pleasure from using a thing one -has made oneself, than one which has been bought. - -About twelve o'clock the rain cleared away and they decided to start. So -the horses were harnessed in a dog-cart belonging to the inn, which also -supplied them with the tandem harness, and the turn-out, which looked -very creditable, was brought to the front of the inn, and the boys took -their seats. Frank and Dick sat in front, and Jimmy and the groom -behind. Frank felt nervous as he took hold of the reins, but pretended -to feel quite at his ease. To his astonishment their steeds started off -very quietly; and as the streets were very clear of traffic, they got -out of the town without any accident. As soon, however, as they got -into the open roads the leader evinced a strong desire to look about -him, and presently his movements grew so erratic that Dick said he was -sure he would turn round and look at them before long. Frank resented -this imputation on his skill in driving by giving the leader a cut with -the whip, whereupon he attempted to bolt, and it was as much as Frank -could do to hold him in. Then sometimes he would hang back, so that the -traces were loose, and the wheeler did all the pulling; and then he -would start forward and nearly break the traces. After this sort of -thing had gone on for some two or three miles, the wheeler, which had -been going very steadily, began to imitate the bad example of his -leader; and Frank and his companions began to wish they had let -tandem-driving alone. - -They came to a turnpike gate and, on Frank attempting to pull in the -horses in order to pay the toll, he found that they were beyond his -control, and after cannoning rather severely against the gate-post, they -fairly bolted, and tore away at a great pace along the road, which was -fortunately pretty straight and free from vehicles. - -"Sit still," said Frank, "don't jump out, or you will come to grief. As -long as there is nothing in the way they shall go as fast as they like. -They will get tired of it sooner than I shall." - -Away they went like the wind, the dog-cart bounding over the ruts and -small stones in the roadway so that the boys had to hold on as tightly -as they could. A large waggon now appeared in sight, and they rapidly -came up with it. Frank tried to turn his horses a little, but they had -the bits in their teeth and would not swerve out of their course. The -waggoner, seeing the state of affairs, promptly drew his horses and -waggon close up to the side of the road in time for the runaways to pass -them safely, but the wheels were within an inch of coming into -collision. On they went until they came to a rise in the road, and here -the horses, seeing that a long hill stretched before them, began to draw -in. - -"Now," said Frank, "you have come at this pace so far for your own -satisfaction, you shall go to the top of the hill at the same pace for -mine." And he lashed them up and made them gallop right to the top of -the hill, which was half a mile long, and then they were glad enough to -be pulled up. - -"You will have no more trouble with them now, sir," said Mason, and he -was right. The horses went as steadily as possible the rest of the way, -and Frank's opinion of himself as a driver, which had been going down, -again rose. Their way led through a fine and well-wooded country; and -after the rain, the trees, the long stretches of corn-fields, and the -meadows, shone out with their brightest emerald; and in the shady parts, -where the sun had not dried up the rain-drops, it seemed as if a sheeny -silk mantle had been cast over the fields. About two o'clock they -reached Scoulton Mere, which lay by the road side, separated from it by -a belt of trees. A keeper was entering the gate into the wood as they -drove up, and Frank at once called out to him, and asked if they might -go and see the gulls' nests. - -"Oh yes, sir, I am going to collect the eggs now, and you can come with -me. Bring your horses in here. There is a shed where we can put them -up." - -"Hurrah, we are in luck!" said Frank to his companions. - -They drove into the woodland glade over the softest moss and between -great masses of rhododendrons which were still in flower. - -Leaving the horses in charge of Mason, they accompanied the keeper to -the pool. It was about eighty acres in extent with a large island in the -centre. As they reached the banks the air became filled with a -thundering noise of wings, and as white as a snowstorm with the numbers -of gulls which rose in the air at their approach. - -"Oh, there are thousands and thousands of them!" said Dick in amazement. - -"And if you look, there are as many on the water as in the air," -answered the keeper. - -Floating with the peculiar lightness which distinguishes the gull tribe, -the birds seemed to occupy almost every yard of water. - -"You spoke of collecting the eggs," said Dick to the keeper; "what do -you do with them?" - -"Oh, we sell them for eating. They are as good as plovers' eggs. I can -get one shilling and sixpence or two shillings a score here for them, -and the men who buy them of me get a good profit in Norwich market." - -"How many eggs do you get?" - -"Oh, that depends upon whether it is a good year or a bad one. In a good -year we take 12,000 eggs or more. This year we have had one take -already of 2,500 in one day, and I expect to get about 1,500 to-day. You -see my men are collecting already. We only take the first laying of each -bird if we can help it, but nests are so close together that it is hard -to remember which we have taken and which we have not. If you would like -to come on the Hearth, as we call the island in the middle, you can do -so, but you must put these mud boards on your feet, for it is very soft -and dangerous walking." - -[Illustration: COMMON GULL.] - -They crossed to the island in a heavy tub of a boat, and were surprised -to see the number of eggs and nests. The nests were not more than one -yard apart, built on the ground like water-hens', but not so cup-shaped. -The number of eggs seemed to be about three in each nest, and their -colour was generally olive brown, blotched and spotted with darker -brown, but there was a very great variety in their colour. Some were -very light, some were very dark, and others were all blue like a heron's -egg. The business of collecting the eggs went on very quietly and -expeditiously, but the boys were almost made dizzy with the constant -swooping of the gulls about their heads, and almost deafened by their -cries. One part of the marshy island was so soft that no one could walk -upon it, and the gulls which bred there never had their nests disturbed -except by the rats and weasels, which naturally abound in such places. - -[Illustration: YOUNG GULLS COVERED WITH DOWN.] - -The black-headed gull derives its name from the black patch on its head, -which, however only appears during the breeding season. - -"When do the gulls arrive?" the boys asked. - -"Well, sir, a lot of them come in March and stay for a day or two, as if -to see that everything is right; and then they go away, and in a few -days afterwards the whole of them come and begin to lay directly. There -was some very stormy weather in March this year and they were late in -coming, or most of the eggs would have been hatched by now." - -"And when do they leave?" - -"In July and August they begin to go away, and leave in the night; and -by the end of August very few are left." - -"One would think that this small lake would scarcely afford sufficient -food for them," said Jimmy. - -"Oh they scour the country around, sir. They follow the plough and -spread over the fields like rooks. They catch moths and other insects. -They eat mice, and if a young bird (not their own) came in the way they -would make a meal of it." - -They bought a score of the eggs for the purpose of exchange, and then -rowed round the pool watching the wonderful scene. There were plenty of -other birds beside gulls there. Coots, water-hens, water-rails, grebes -and dabchicks were in plenty. - -[Illustration: CARP.] - -"I should think that there cannot be many fish here where the gulls -would eat up all the spawn," said Frank; but as he spoke Dick pointed -out the backs of a couple of immense carp which were basking on the top -of the water, and a little further on they saw the body of a huge eel, -and they were told by the keeper that there were any number of eels -there. - -They were invited by the keeper to take tea at his cottage, and they had -some of the gulls' eggs boiled, and very good they were. After tea they -went for a birds'-nesting ramble through the wood. - -"Oh, look here!" said Jimmy; "when we came this afternoon all this place -was covered with the scarlet pimpernel, and now there is not one to be -seen. They have all closed up." - -"Yes," answered the keeper, "they always do that about four o'clock, and -all day long when the day is dull. We call them wink-a-peep, and -sometimes shepherd's weather-glass." - -"How different to these dingy meadow brown butterflies which are -fluttering all about us. I have seen them fly on the most damp and -cheerless of days, when not another butterfly could be seen. I like -them, although they are so dingy and ugly, because they are so hardy and -homely." - -"What butterfly is that?" said Jimmy, pointing to one that flitted past. -Dick's net was ready in a moment, and off he went in chase. Bringing -back his prize, they examined it and pronounced it to be the speckled -wood butterfly or wood argus. It is a common insect nearly everywhere. -It has wings of a deep-brown spotted with buff, and on the wings are -pure white eyes with glossy black circles around them. It may be seen in -every woodland glade, and is not at all shy. - -"Hush!" said Frank; "is that a shrew-mouse or a grasshopper which is -making that chirruping noise?" - -"It is neither, sir," replied the keeper; "it is a bird, and there it is -creeping about the bottom of that hedge like a mouse." - -"Oh, I know what it is, it is a grasshopper warbler. Let us look for its -nest." - -They searched for quite a quarter of an hour before they found it. It -was placed on the ground in the middle of a tuft of grass and at the -foot of a bush. It was cup-shaped, made of grass and moss, and contained -six eggs which were pinkish-white in colour, spotted all over with -reddish-brown. - -The note of this little bird seems to be of a ventriloquial character -like that of the landrail or corncrake. I have searched many a time in -the exact spot where the sound appeared to come from, and then perhaps -discovered that the bird was on the other side of the lane. - -Jimmy next found a nest on the ground. It was arched over like a wren's, -and was very beautifully constructed out of moss, hair, and feathers. It -contained five round white eggs spotted with red. In order to identify -it more positively as that of the chiff-chaff, which they suspected it -was, they watched for some time, and saw the bird, a little pale-brown -thing, creep up to it and enter it. - -I would particularly impress on my boy readers the necessity of -thoroughly identifying the nest and eggs which they find. It is often -impossible to tell accurately without seeing the old bird, and as the -value of a collection depends upon the accuracy of its named specimens, -no trouble should be spared in ensuring thorough identification. This -remark applies to collections of every kind. "What is worth doing at all -is worth doing well." - -[Illustration: CHIFF-CHAFF.] - -The keeper said, pointing to some red, hairy masses on a bramble bush, -"We call these robins' pincushions; can you tell me what causes them?" - -"Oh yes," said Dick, "they are galls caused by a little grub which -afterwards turns into a fly." - -"They are very pretty things to be caused by a dirty little grub," said -Jimmy; "and pray what causes this cuckoo-spit?" pointing to one of the -little lumps of water foam which are so common on plants and grasses in -the summer. - -Dick said they were caused by the larvæ of a fly like the galls, but as -they were puzzled to know how it produced this casing of spit, when they -got back to Norwich they went into the library and found, in a number of -_Science Gossip_, the following information about it:-- - -"The larvæ, as soon as it is hatched commences operations on some juicy -stem or leaf, no matter what, so it be sappy enough; thrusts in its long -proboscis; pumps up the sap; blows it off in small bubbles through a -pipe in its tail, and so speedily constructs for itself a cool, moist, -translucent home. By and by the sap dries up, and the insect changes its -form and becomes winged." - -[Illustration: OAK-GALL-FLY.] - -It was now getting dusk, and the gulls were flying low over the meadows, -hawking about like swallows. The boys went to see what they were -catching, and saw that they were feeding on the ghost-moths which were -hovering over the grass-tops with that vibrating and ghost-like flight -which is so peculiar to them. Every country boy must know the -ghost-moths which, large and small, white and yellow, hover over the -hay-fields in the month of June. Their size alone makes them -conspicuous, and they have a weird look as they flit about in the warm, -still twilight. - -Dick got several for his collection, and then it was time to be -returning; and after making due acknowledgment to the friendly keeper -they drove back through the quiet night, while nightingales sang around -them, and the great red moon rose over the eastern woods, and quenched -the pale light of the stars. The horses went well together, and they had -no trouble with them; and when they got back to the hotel they went to -bed, declaring they had spent a very jolly day. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - - Back again.--Taken in Tow.--Bobbing for Eels.--Glow-worms.-- - Home.--Urticating Caterpillars. - - -It will be seen that our boys had great capacities for enjoying -themselves, and so oblivious had they been of the flight of time, that -they had only left themselves two days in which to get home, for they -felt bound not to ask for any extension of their holiday. Two days was a -very short time to sail all the way down the Yare and up the Bure again; -and to add to their dilemma, the wind had settled in the east, and blew -light and fitfully all day until five or six, when it would drop. They -could have gone back by road and left the yacht to be sent after them, -but this would have been _infra dig._, and was not to be thought of -while the chance remained of reaching home in a legitimate way. So they -started, and with infinite labour and much tacking and clever sailing, -they succeeded in reaching Brundall, about six miles down the river, by -the middle of the day. - -"This won't do," said Frank. "Here comes a steam-wherry. I wonder if -they will take us in tow." - -The wherry was hailed, and for a small consideration her crew consented -to tow them to Yarmouth. Their sails were accordingly lowered, and a -rope was made fast to the wherry; and in a few minutes' time they were -being pulled along at a good pace by their great, black, ugly friend. - -"Now we can enjoy our _otium cum dignitate_," said Dick, throwing -himself at full length on the roof of the cabin with the furled mainsail -as a pillow; "and however light the breeze is to-morrow, it will take us -home in time; so I shall write a note home and post it at Yarmouth." - -Between the waving reed-beds, through the long miles of marsh, acres of -which were white with the silky globes of the cotton-grasses, by -whirling wind-mills and groups of red and white cattle browsing on the -reclaimed marshes, past sailing wherries that surged along before the -light breeze with a lazy motion, past white-sailed yachts with -gay-coloured pennants at their mast-heads and laughter-loving pleasure -parties on board, underneath a bright blue sky streaked with filmy -cloudlets and dotted with uprising larks, over a stream that murmured -and rippled with a summer gladness, they clove their steady way. With -every nerve instinct with healthy life, and hearts which had the great -gift of understanding and appreciating the true and the beautiful around -them, what wonder if they felt as happy as they could wish to feel, and -were full of contentment with the pleasant time it was their lot to -pass. - -They crossed Breydon Water under widely different circumstances to those -in which they first crossed it. Then it was wild and stormy; now it was -fair and placid. - -They reached Yarmouth about five, and as the wind still held they turned -up the Bure with the flowing tide, and sailed on and on in that quiet -peaceful evening, with lessening speed as the wind fell, until at last -they barely crept through the water. Even when there was not a breath of -air perceptible to the upheld hand, and the surface of the river was as -smooth as glass, and the reeds were silent from their whispering, yet a -magic wind seemed to fill their large sails, and still they crept on -with a dream-like motion. At last that motion ceased, but then they were -so close to Acle bridge that they set to work and poled the yacht along -with the quants, and in another half hour they were moored by the -Staithe. - -It was then half-past nine o'clock, but still very light; and there was -a whiteness in the sky to the north-east, which told them the sun was -not very far over the horizon, and that at midnight it would be but -little darker than it was then. - -After they had had supper Frank said, - -"Do you remember those men whom we saw near Norwich, who sat in small -boats all the night long, and with a line in each hand, bobbed for -eels?" - -"Yes; what of them?" - -"Why should we not bob for eels to-night? I don't feel inclined to go to -bed." - -"Very well," said Jimmy; "but can we get the worsted?" - -"I will go and ask for some at the Hermitage." - -"What do you want worsted for?" said Dick. - -"To catch the eels with; but wait a bit and you shall see. Bring the -lantern and come with me." - -Frank marched up to the house and knocked, and when the door was opened -by a woman, said, - -"Please can you let us have a hank of worsted? I will give you double -its value." The woman looked at him in surprise, and he repeated his -question. Then she went indoors, and reappeared with a hank of worsted -in her hand. This she threw out to them with a frightened look, and -slammed the door in their faces. - -"Wait, my good woman, we have not paid you," said Frank. But there was -no answer. - -"We seem to have frightened her," said Dick. - -Frank put a shilling under the door, and they went away laughing -heartily. Their next proceeding was to look about the damp grass and -pick up the lob-worms, which were about in great numbers. When they had -each collected a large number they returned to the yacht, and by Frank's -directions threaded the worms on to the worsted, lengthways, with the -needle they had used for sniggling. In this way they made three large -bunches of worm-covered worsted. These bunches they weighted with a -stone, and tied strong lengths of cord to them. - -"Now," said Frank, "we can begin to bob. This is the way, Dick:--let the -bunch sink to the bottom and then keep the line taut. Let it lie there -for some time, and when you feel some sharp quick tugs, it is the eels -biting at it. Then haul it quietly on board and shake the eels off. -There, I can feel them on my line now." - -"And I at mine," said Jimmy. - -"And I too," said Dick. - -"Then wait five minutes, and haul on board." - -At the end of five minutes they each hauled their lines quietly on -board, and on Frank's were no less than six eels, their teeth entangled -in the worsted. On Jimmy's there were two, and on Dick's three. They -shook the eels on to the deck. Jimmy's two at once wriggled themselves -off back into the water, and Frank and Dick had hard work to keep theirs -from doing the same, until Jimmy got out the bucket they used for -washing the deck, and in this they safely deposited their captives. - -"This is not bad fun," said Dick, as he brought up three more eels, one -of them a large one. - -"No, is it?" answered Jimmy, as he followed Dick's example. - -So they went on laughing and talking and pulling in eels until two -o'clock in the morning, when their bucket was so full of eels that it -would not hold any more. - -"Now it is time to turn in," said Frank; "take up the bucket, Jimmy, and -put it by the foremast with something over it to keep the eels from -crawling out, while I do up the lines." - -Jimmy took up the bucket, and was walking aft with it, when his foot -slipped on an eel that had made its escape, and was wriggling about the -deck. In an instant, Jimmy, the bucket, and the eels all went into the -water. Jimmy rose to the surface and swam to the yacht, and climbed on -board, with the bucket still in his hands, but all the eels had of -course disappeared. - -"What an extraordinary thing!" spluttered Jimmy, as he rose to the -surface. - -"Very," said Frank, as soon as he could speak for laughing; "but hadn't -you better dive after the eels?" - -"Do you mind my losing them, Frank?" said Jimmy, rather ruefully. - -"Not at all, old man. We don't want the eels, and a good laugh is better -for us." - -While they were undressing, Dick was peering through one of the side -lights and at length said, - -"I suppose it is impossible for any one to have been smoking here -lately, yet there are two or three things which are like cigar-ends -gleaming on the bank. Is it possible that they are glow-worms?" - -"Yes, of course they are," said Jimmy; "I will go and get them;" and -presently he came back with the little, soft, brown things, which shed a -circle of phosphorescent light for two or three inches around them. - -"Put them into that empty jar with some grass, and we will take them -home with us." - -[Illustration: GLOW-WORM.] - -The glow-worm is the wingless female of a winged beetle. The male has a -dim light, but nothing to be compared to that of his wife. The light -issues from the three last segments of her body, and is of a bright -yellow in colour. In general she shines from ten to twelve o'clock, but -often much later, as on this occasion. Why such a brown, ugly little -beetle should have such a beautiful light I do not know. Perhaps it is -to guide the male to her. This beetle with the wonderful light has -plebeian tastes, for she eats the flesh of snails, and, unlike our -Gallic neighbours, she does not wait for the snails' decease first. - -The morning soon shone brightly, and again the fair east wind blew; - - "The sun was warm; and the wind was cool," - -and the _Swan_ spread her white wings to the favouring breeze and glided -between the narrowing banks, where the meadow-sweet in full luxuriance -waved its cloudy clusters, the forget-me-not gleamed in turquoise blue, -the tall iris or white flag reared its flowers of gold over its green -sword-shaped leaves, and the modest ragged-robin showed its thin red -petals amid the dew-wet grass. - -Through Heigham Sounds and into Hickling Broad, and there at the farther -end was a group of people, waving their handkerchiefs in greeting. - -"There they are," said Frank; "give them three cheers;" and a "Hip! hip! -hurrah!" rang over the water with a hearty good will. - -Mr. and Mrs. Merivale, Sir Richard Carleton, and Mary, were all there to -meet them. - -Frank brought the yacht up to her moorings in his best manner, and in a -few minutes they were ashore. - -"Dick," said Sir Richard, "I can scarcely believe my eyes. I am -delighted." - -There was some cause for his surprise. Dick was as brown as a berry. His -form was upright and full of vigour, and his handsome face was bright -with the smile of health. A greater contrast to the pale-faced delicate -boy, who some months before had aroused his father's anxiety, could not -well be seen. - -"I am glad you have enjoyed yourself, dear," said Mrs. Merivale to -Frank, "but I have been very anxious about you, and it has seemed a long -time." - -Frank laughed merrily, as he put his arm round his mother, and kissed -her with all a lover's devotion. - -"You are like Martha, mother, who troubled herself about many things. -But where is Florrie?" - -"Oh," said Mary, "she can't leave her room. She got a little black hairy -caterpillar for you, and it has stung her. At least she has a rash all -over her, and nasty little red lumps, and she suffers so much." - -"That must be a mistake, Mary, about the caterpillar," said Frank. - -"No, it is not, Frank," said Dick; "I was reading the other day about -urticating caterpillars. The caterpillars of some moths will affect some -people like that." - -"We have the creature in a glass, and you can see it, and try it, if you -like, Frank," said Mary. - - - - -CHAPTER XX. - - Golden Oriole.--Landrail.--House-martins in trouble.--Siskin.-- - Peacock and Red Admiral Butterflies.--Winchat's Nest.-- - Bitten by a Viper.--Viper and Snake.--Slow-worm. - - -"Frank," said Mary at breakfast the next morning, "I have seen the most -beautiful bird about the orchard and the wood next to it. It is about as -big as a thrush, and is a bright yellow all over, except the wings, -which are black. What can it be?" - -"By Jove," said Frank, "there is only one bird that is like that; but -it is so very rare that very few specimens have been seen in this -country, and that is the golden oriole. Come and show me where it was at -once, before I go to Mr. Meredith's." - -[Illustration: ORIOLE.] - -Mary was nothing loath, and they hastily finished their breakfast and -went out together. Scarcely had they got to the orchard when the -gardener came towards them with a gun in one hand, and a dead oriole in -the other. "I thought you would like to have him to stuff, Master -Frank," said the man, and Frank took the bird and thanked him, and when -they turned away Frank said, - -"I am awfully sorry this has happened, Mary. The idea of shooting a rare -bird like this at the breeding season. It must have been nesting here, -and in a few weeks perhaps, there would have been a brood of young ones -about. Let us go into the wood and look for its nest." - -In a short time they saw its mate flying about from tree to tree, -calling piteously; and after a little hunting Frank found a nest, which -was like a missel thrush's, and placed in the fork of an oak branch. It -contained four eggs, white in colour, covered with claret-coloured -spots. Frank did not touch it, hoping that the remaining bird would sit -and hatch the eggs; but she soon deserted it and left the neighbourhood, -most probably to be shot, and the boys then took the eggs to add to -their collection. - -[Illustration: NEST OF AMERICAN SPECIES OF ORIOLE.] - -With the same vigour which characterised their out-door sports, the boys -betook themselves again to their books. In Mr. Meredith's study at the -Rectory the three boys sat busily engaged in making Latin verse, an -exercise which suited Dick far better than it did the others. Their -brown faces and their hands, hacked and roughened as only boys' hands -can become, were in great contrast to their studious occupations. Mr. -Meredith looked at them with keen interest, and resolved that he would -do all in his power to turn out of his workshop (as he called it) three -good specimens of God's handiwork and his own, and as far as in him lay -he kept his vow. - -Saturday was a whole holiday, and as the boys met at the boat-house to -be ready for anything which might turn up, Bell came to them and said, -that while cutting the hay in a small meadow which he rented, he had -come upon a landrail or corncrake, sitting on her eggs, and so close did -she sit that he had cut off her head with his scythe. The boys went to -see the nest and found eleven eggs in it, like those of the water-rail -but larger. They were hard sat, which accounted for the old bird -remaining on her nest until the last; but the boys knew how to blow -hard-sat eggs, and took possession of them. - -[Illustration: LANDRAIL OR CORNCRAKE.] - -Passing by Mrs. Brett's cottage they saw the old lady beckoning to them. -When they went to her she explained that she wanted them to aid her -swallows. A pair of house-martins were flying about their nest in the -eaves, uttering cries of distress. - -"What is the matter? Have the sparrows taken possession of it?" said -Frank. - -"No, dear, but it seems breaking away from the wall. There are young -ones in it, and I suppose the old birds did not make it strong enough to -hold their weight. I am afraid it will fall down every minute." - -[Illustration: HOUSE-MARTIN.] - -The boys undertook to put matters right, and with the aid of a ladder -they climbed up to the nest, and with a hammer and nails they nailed up -the nest in a broad piece of flannel. While they were engaged in doing -this, the martins ceased their cries, as if they knew that a friendly -act was being done for them; and when the boys left the nest the birds -returned to it, and by their busy twitterings and short excited flights -seemed to wish to express their gratitude. - -Leaving the cottage, they went for a long aimless ramble through the -fields and woods, trespassing with impunity, for they were well known -everywhere, and visiting every hedgerow and copse on the look-out for -nests. - -[Illustration: SISKIN.] - -They came to a field round which there were hedges unusually high and -thick for Norfolk, which is a county of trim hedges and clean farming. -Almost the first nest they came to was that of a siskin. The old birds -to which it belonged were hopping about the hedge. They were pretty -lemon-coloured birds with a black patch on their heads and black on -their wings. The boys watched them for some time, in order to make sure -that they were indeed the siskin, for they are so very rare, especially -during the breeding season, that very few nests have been found. - -"Well, there can be no doubt about that," said Frank. "They are siskins -sure enough. What a very lucky find! Now let us have a look at the -nest." - -Both nest and eggs were like those of a goldfinch, but the latter were -much smaller than a goldfinch's eggs. The eggs were hard sat, but they -took three of them and blew them safely; and as they were still doubting -the reality of their good luck, when they went home they consulted their -books, and Mr. Meredith, and all came to the conclusion that there could -be no mistake about the birds. - -[Illustration: CHRYSALIS. PEACOCK BUTTERFLY. CATERPILLAR.] - -They found many more nests in that hedge. Most of them had young ones, -for the season was now very far advanced. - -Dick soon found something after his own heart, and this was a large bed -of nettles. Every stem was covered with large, black, hairy -caterpillars. These were the caterpillars of the peacock -butterfly,--that splendid insect, which with its crimson and black, and -the gorgeous peacock eyes which adorn its wings, is so conspicuous an -object in the country in the summer. It is a great pleasure to me to see -it as it sits on its favourite perch, the top of a nettle or a bramble, -and opens and shuts its wings with the fanning motion peculiar to its -tribe. Dick marked this spot, and in a short time he came to gather the -gilded chrysalides which on every plant shone brightly in the sunshine. -These he gathered and put in a safe place, and during the summer it was -a great pleasure to him to watch the outcoming of these resplendent -insects. Just before they were ready to emerge, the colours of their -wings could be seen through the thin case which covered them, and with -this warning he was often able to catch the insect at the instant of -their appearance. Not long afterwards he found a colony of the -caterpillars of the red admiral butterfly, a large black insect with -crimson bands round its wings, and the under surface marbled with the -most delicate tracery of brown and grey. As far as size and beauty go, -these two butterflies may be said to be the gems of the entomologist's -cabinet. They are common enough in the south, and the young entomologist -may look forward to catching or breeding them his first year. - -[Illustration: RED ADMIRAL BUTTERFLY.] - -The afternoon was exceedingly hot, and the sun blazed from a cloudless -sky, and birds'-nesting and butterfly-hunting was tiring work. The scent -of the hay made the air fragrant, and the sharp whisk of the scythes of -the mowers in those meadows which were not yet cut, was the only sound -which disturbed the evening stillness. - -Crossing one of the commons which are to be met with everywhere in the -enclosed districts of Norfolk, they saw a little brown bird fly out of a -hole in a low hedge bank. Very cleverly hidden there, in a hole covered -with a clump of primrose flowers, was a winchat's nest. It contained -five blue eggs spotted with rusty red at the large end. Taking two of -these they went on their way, and presently entered a thick and tangled -wood, where the underwood was so close that they could with difficulty -make their way through it. The brambles and briars were breast high, and -the ground was ankle deep in half rotten leaves of the previous year. -In a bush through which Jimmy was trying to force his way he saw a nest, -which he took to be a thrush's or blackbird's. He put in his hand just -to see if there were any eggs in, and to his surprise he felt something -cold and slimy. Before he could withdraw his hand he felt a sharp blow -and a prick on his finger, and he drew back with a cry of dismay as he -saw a viper uncoiling itself from the nest and wriggle down to the -ground, where it was soon lost in the thick vegetation. Frank and Dick -hurried up to him, and he held out his finger, in which were two small -blue punctures. - -[Illustration: WINCHAT AND EGG.] - -"An adder has bitten me," he said, with blanched cheeks. - -Frank at once whipped out his penknife, and seizing Jimmy's hand, he -made a deep cross cut over the bites, and as the blood began to flow, he -put the finger to his mouth and tried to suck the poison out with all -the force of his strong young lungs, only just waiting to say to Dick-- - -"Go at once to the village and get a bottle of olive-oil at the -chemist's, and come back to the cottage at the edge of the wood. Be as -quick as you can." - -Dick burst out of the wood and set off for the village, which was a mile -away as the crow flies. As straight as an arrow and as fleet as a deer, -Dick sped on his friendly errand, and in six minutes he had reached the -chemist's. The chemist gave him what he asked for, saying, that if -rubbed in before the fire it was the best remedy. - -"Are snake-bites fatal?" said Dick. - -"No, sir, not in England, unless the person bitten is very delicate; but -they are very painful, and I should advise you to be quick back." - -[Illustration: VIPER.] - -Dick was off again at the top of his speed, and reached the cottage a -quarter of an hour after he had left Frank and Jimmy. - -"Well done, Dick!" said Frank; "but go outside and face the wind a bit. -You are dead beat." - -Jimmy was pale, but collected. His arm had swelled up to a great size -already, and was very painful. Frank held his hand as near the fire as -he could bear it, and rubbed the olive-oil in for half an hour; and then -Dick and Frank walked him home between them. Mrs. Brett was naturally -much alarmed, but Frank soothed her fears, and Jimmy was put to bed. - -"Thank you, Frank," he said, "I am awfully much obliged to you." - -"Then prove it by going quietly to sleep if you can. You will be all -right in a day or two." - -"How did you know about the olive-oil being a cure, Frank?" - -"I was reading about it not a week ago, and as we were walking along -this afternoon I was, strange to say, thinking about it, and imagining -that I was bitten and curing myself, like one does make up pictures and -rehearse scenes to oneself, when one has nothing better to do. It was a -very strange coincidence."[1] - - [1] The best remedy for viper-bite is the injection of ammonia into - the veins. - -[Illustration: COMMON RINGED SNAKE.] - -Frank went home with Dick, and they took a short cut through the copse. -Dick was looking about him very suspiciously, seeing the coils of an -adder in every twisted root. Suddenly his eye caught sight of a snake -lying across the path. - -"There is another viper!" he exclaimed. - -"No, it is only a snake," said Frank, coolly stooping down and taking -the snake in his hand, while it coiled about his arm. Dick looked -horrified. - -"Won't it bite?" he said. - -"No, Dick. Don't you know the difference between a snake and a viper? -Then I'll tell you. The viper is ash-brown in colour. Its neck is -narrower and its head broader in proportion. The viper has a couple of -fangs, or long hollow teeth, which lie flat along the back of its mouth, -but when it is angry it opens its mouth, erects its teeth and strikes -with them. They are hollow, and down through the tubes the poison comes -from a bag at their roots. The snake has no such teeth, and it is -harmless, for it cannot sting, as many country people think it can, with -its long forked tongue which it is now shooting out. Then the snake lays -eggs. I dare say if we were to dig in the manure-heaps in the farm-yard, -we should find a lot of white eggs covered with a tough, soft skin and -joined together with a sort of glue. The viper's eggs are hatched inside -it, and the young ones are born alive." - -"I have read that the young ones of the viper will run down their -parent's throat when alarmed for safety. Is that true?" - -"It seems so strange that I can scarcely think it to be true, but so -many respectable people say they have seen it that one does not like to -say that it is not so; and it is, of course, difficult to prove a -negative. I suppose the question will be settled some day." - -The snake Frank held in his hand was a large and handsome one. It was -olive-grey in colour, with rows of black spots on its back and sides, -and greenish-yellow beneath, tinged with black. The snake changes its -skin just like a caterpillar, but the skin preserves the shape of the -snake, and is a very pretty object. Often have I seen a sunny corner in -a quiet wood covered with many of these cast-off skins all glittering in -the sunlight; and they are so very like real snakes as easily to deceive -the casual observer. - -During the winter both vipers and snakes hybernate in holes, or under -tree-roots, and require no food. - -The slow-worm or blind-worm is often mistaken for the snake. It is about -twelve inches long, with a smooth skin, and is dull brown in colour. It -possesses a curious faculty of parting with its tail when it chooses. -If it is seized by the hand or otherwise annoyed, the tail separates -from the body and commences a series of war-dances on its own account. -While you are occupied in observing this, the body quietly and -expeditiously moves away out of danger. Snakes and vipers live on frogs, -small birds, &c., when they can catch them. The slow-worm lives almost -entirely upon the white garden-slug. - -[Illustration: SLOW-WORM.] - -Jimmy's arm and side were very much swollen and inflamed, and it was -quite a week before he was free from pain. The doctor said that if the -olive-oil had not been used he would have suffered very much more from -the bite, and the consequences might have been serious, for Jimmy had -not a strong constitution. He was very careful after that of putting his -hand into a bird's nest without getting a look into it first. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI. - - Fishing.--Jimmy's Dodge.--Bream-fishing.--Good Sport.-- - Fecundity of Fish.--Balance Float.--Fish-hatching.-- - Edith Rose.--A Night Sail. - - -It must not be supposed that the boys neglected that most fascinating of -all sports, fishing. They fished in the broads and rivers whenever they -had an opportunity. Pike, perch, bream, and eels--all were fish that -came to their net; and now that birds' nesting was over they devoted -some special days to the pursuit of the gentle art. - -Some years ago, and at the time of my story, the broads were as full as -they could be of coarse fish, especially pike; but by the indiscriminate -use of the net and the destruction of spawning fish, the poachers have -so thinned the water of pike and perch, that the proprietors are -preserving them, and the public are agitating for a close time at -certain seasons of the year, so as to protect the breeding fish. Even at -the present time, however, the bream is so abundant as to afford plenty -of sport to every fisher, however poor he may be. In shape this fish is -something like a pair of bellows and it is commonly met with from one to -five pounds in weight. It swarms in vast shoals and when it is in the -mood for biting, you may catch as many as you like--and more sometimes, -for the bream is not a nice fish to handle; it is covered with thick -glutinous slime, which sticks to and dries on the hands and clothes. -Bream-fishers provide themselves with a cloth, with which to handle the -fish and wipe off the slime. - -One morning Frank, while dressing at his open window, looked at the -broad and was surprised to see it dotted with round, bright coloured -objects. - -"What can they be?" he said to himself in surprise. "They cannot be -trimmers. They look like bladders, but who would paint bladders red, -blue, green, and yellow? I am going to see." - -He dressed rapidly and ran towards the water. Standing on the margin was -Jimmy, his hands in his pockets and a self-satisfied smile on his face. - -"What have you been doing Jimmy?" said Frank. - -"Oh! I thought you would be astonished. I bought the whole stock of one -of those fellows who sell India-rubber balloons, and I thought I would -have a great haul of fish; so I fastened a line and hook to each balloon -and set them floating before the wind. Don't you think it a grand -dodge?" - -"Well, you are a funny fellow. I call it a poaching trick, of which you -ought to be ashamed, Master Jimmy but I suppose you are not. I expect -these balloons will burst directly a big fish pulls them a little under -the water. There goes one now; I saw it disappear,--and there's another, -with a pop you can hear at this distance." - -[Illustration: BREAM.] - -Jimmy began to look rather blue, and said, "Hadn't we better go off -after them in a boat, or we shall lose all our lines? All we had are -fastened to them." - -"Oh, you sinner! you don't mean to say that you have used our -joint-stock lines?" - -"Yes, I have." - -"Then we had better go out at once." - -They got into the punt and rowed off after the toy balloons, which were -floating swiftly before the breeze. The first they came up to had a -small perch on. The next burst just as they reached it, and they saw the -glimmer of a big fish in the water. There were twenty balloons set on -the water, and it took them a long hour's work before they could recover -all that were to be recovered. Out of twenty they only brought in ten. -The rest had burst, and the lines were lost. Of the ten which they -recovered five had small perch on, which were not worth having. So -Jimmy's grand scheme turned out a failure, as so many grand schemes do. -The others chaffed him very much about it, as a punishment for losing -the lines, and for doing anything on his own hook without consulting the -others. - -After a wet week in July it was resolved to have a good day's bream -fishing. The broad itself was more adapted for perch and pike, for it -had a clear gravel bottom; and the river was always considered the best -for bream, because its bottom was more muddy, and bream like soft muddy -ground. The boys collected an immense quantity of worms, and taking on -board a bag of grains for ground-bait, they sailed one Friday evening -down to Ranworth and selected a likely spot in the river on the outside -of a curve. They proceeded to bait the place well with grains and worms, -and then went to sleep, with a comfortable certainty of sport on the -morrow. - -The white morning dawned and made visible a grey dappled sky, the silent -marsh and the smooth river, off which the mists were slowly creeping. -Small circles marked where the small fish were rising, but all about -where the ground-bait had been put the water was as still as death. The -fish were at the bottom, picking up the last crumbs and greedily wishing -for more. - -Frank was the first to rise. "Now then, you lazy fellows, it is time to -begin. There is a soft south wind and the fish are waiting. We will just -run along the bank to have a dip away from our fishing-ground, and then -we will begin." - -After their bathe their rods were soon put together. Dick fished with -paste made of new bread and coloured with vermilion. Jimmy had some wasp -grubs, and Frank used worms. They tossed up for stations, and Dick was -posted at the bows, Jimmy, amidships, and Frank at the stern. The hooks -were baited, and the floats were soon floating quietly down the stream. -Frank had a float which gave him a longer swim than his companions. It -was made as follows. The stem of the float was of quill (two joined -together) eight inches long, and was thrust through a small round cork -which was fixed in the middle of it. The upper end of the float was -weighted with shots, so that it lay flat on the water. The weight at the -hook end was so placed, that when a bite took place the float sprang -upright and remained so, this calling attention to the fact of a bite at -a great distance. Frank was thus able to let his float swim down the -river much farther than he could have done with an ordinary one, because -he could distinguish a bite farther off. - -Before the floats had completed their first swim, Dick cried "I have a -bite." - -"So have I," said Frank. - -"And so have I," added Jimmy. - -"How absurd," said Frank, as they were all engaged with a fish at the -same time. All three fishes were too large to land without a -landing-net, and Dick held Frank's rod while he helped to land Jimmy's -fish, and then Jimmy helped to land the others. - -The fishes were as nearly as possible three pounds each, great -slab-sided things, which gave a few vigorous rushes and then succumbed -quietly to the angler. - -And so the sport went on. At every swim one or the other of them had a -bite, and as they did not choose to lose time by using the cloth to -every fish, they were soon covered with the slime off them, which dried -on their white flannels and made them in a pretty mess. - -"In what immense numbers these fish must breed," said Dick. - -[Illustration: ANGLING.] - -"Yes," answered Frank, "fish of this kind lay more eggs than those of -the more bold and rapacious kind, such as the perch and pike. I have -read that 620,000 eggs have been counted in the spawn of a big carp. You -see that so many of the young are destroyed by other fish that this is a -necessary provision of nature. I once saw the artificial breeding of -trout by a way which I have never told you of, and it was most -interesting. It was in Cheshire, where some gentlemen had preserved a -trout-stream and wished to keep up the stock. Into the large stream a -small rivulet ran down a cleft in the bank like a small ravine, and in -this cleft they had built their sheds. The trout-spawn was placed in -troughs which had bottoms made of glass rods side by side, close -enough together to prevent the eggs falling through, but wide enough to -let the water pass through freely. Over these troughs a continual stream -of water was directed. The eggs were pale yellow in colour when alive, -but if one of them became addled or dead it turned white, and it was -then picked off by means of a glass tube, up which it was sucked by the -force of capillary attraction without disturbing the other eggs. By and -by you could see a little dot in the eggs. This got larger and larger -until the covering burst, and the fish came out, with a little -transparent bag bigger than themselves attached to their stomachs. They -ate nothing until this dried up, and they lived upon what they absorbed -out of it. When the fish were about an inch long they were put into -small pools up the brook, where they were watched very carefully by the -keeper, who set traps for rats and herons. Then as they got bigger they -were put into larger pools, and finally into the river." - -[Illustration: TROUT.] - -"I did not know that water-rats ate fish," said Jimmy. - -"No, water-rats don't, although many people think they do. They live -only on vegetable food, and it is a pity to kill them; but the common -rat, which is as often seen by the river side as the other, will eat -fish, or whatever it can get." - -It would be tedious to recount the capture of every fish, since one was -so like another. The sport far exceeded their expectations, or anything -they had previously experienced; and before six o'clock in the evening -they had caught over three hundred fishes, big and little, the largest -about five pounds in weight. The total weight was about twelve stone. -Norfolk bream fishers will know that I am not exaggerating. - -"I am thoroughly tired of this," said Dick at length; "this is not -sport, it is butchery, especially as we do not know what to do with them -now we have caught them, except to give them to some farmer for manure." - -"No," said Frank; "that is why I do not care much for bream fishing, or -any sport where one cannot use the things one kills; but we will give -the best of these fish to old Matthew Cox and his wife, who have nothing -but the parish allowance to live on. I dare say they will be glad enough -of them." - -Cox, who was a poor old man scarce able to keep body and soul together, -was glad indeed to have them, but their number puzzled him, until Mrs. -Brett suggested that he should pickle them, and gave him some vinegar -for the purpose. - -Contrary to Frank's expectation, the wind had not risen, but towards the -afternoon died away, and with the exception of a shower, so summerlike -that the gnats danced between the rain-drops, the day had been very fine -and calm. When the boys left off fishing the water was as calm as at -five o'clock in the morning, and there was not the slightest chance of -their reaching home that night. This was awkward, as the next day was -Sunday, and they had no change of raiment with them. They made the best -of it, sending a note home by post to explain their absence. In the -morning there was a debate as to whether they should go to church or -not. - -"Let us go," said Frank. "No one will know us, so it does not matter -what we have on." - -So to church they went, in their dirty white flannels. It was their -intention to sit near the door and try to escape observation, but they -found the back seats of the little church full of children, and a -churchwarden ushered them all the way up the church to the front pew, -which they took. Just before the service began, a lady and gentleman, -and a young lady who was apparently their daughter, came into the large -square pew in which our boys sat, whereupon the tanned cheeks of our -heroes blushed vehemently. The young lady sat opposite Frank, and every -now and then gazed at him curiously. When Frank mustered up courage to -look back at her, he thought he knew the face, and as the sermon -advanced he recollected that it was that of a friend of his sister -Mary's, who had once stayed at his father's house. When they left the -church he went up to her, and taking off his cap, said, - -"I beg your pardon, but are you not Miss Rose?" - -"Yes, Mr. Merivale, but I thought you would not have remembered me. -Papa, this is Mary Merivale's brother." - -Mr. Rose looked rather curiously at Frank and his friends, and Frank at -once answered the unspoken question by saying, - -"We are yachting, sir, and we are windbound, without any change of -clothes. We should have been ashamed to come to church if we had thought -we should meet anyone we knew." - -"I am very glad to have met you. You and your friends must come and dine -with me," was Mr. Rose's reply. - -So, in spite of their slimy-covered clothes and fishy smell, they were -welcomed, and had a pleasant day. Edith Rose was so very pretty and -nice, that Frank began to think Dick was not quite such a goose for -being spoons on his sister, as he had previously thought him. - -About ten they returned to the yacht, and found that the wind had risen, -and was blowing tolerably hard. As they were anxious to get back in time -to be with Mr. Meredith on Monday morning, they resolved to sit up until -twelve o'clock and then start homeward. The night was starlight, and -light enough for them to see their way on the water; and as the hands on -their watches pointed to twelve they hoisted sail and glided away -through the grey stillness of the night, beneath the starlit blue of the -midnight sky, with no sound audible save the hissing of the water -curling against their bows, the flapping of the sails as they tacked, -and the occasional cry of a bird in the reeds; and about five o'clock -they arrived home, and turned in on board the yacht for a couple of -hours' sleep before breakfast. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII. - - Calling for Landrails.--Landrail Shamming Death.-- - Yellow Under-wing Moth and Wasp.--Dragon-Fly and Butterfly.-- - Stink-horn Fungus.--Sundew. - - -On a stile under the shade of a chestnut Frank sat, calling for -landrails. Every now and then he rubbed an instrument on his thigh, -which made a noise so like the cry of the corncrake that one could not -have distinguished it. This instrument was very simple, and he had made -it himself. It was a piece of hard wood, with a stock to it like the -letter _y_. Between the prongs of the _y_ was a wooden wheel, with its -circumference cut into cogs. A slip of wood was screwed to the stock, -and pressed against the cogs. When the wheel was turned by being pressed -against the leg, a grating noise was produced, which answered the -purpose admirably. Frank sat with his gun upon his lap and called away -most patiently, but not hurriedly. A landrail was answering him from the -further side of the field, and was approaching nearer. At last, just as -its note seemed further off, he caught sight of its long neck and head -peering above the grass, which, although it was only the aftermath, had -grown a good height. Frank gave another creak, and the bird ran on a few -yards nearer. Frank raised his gun to his shoulder and took aim, and as -the bird took fright and began to run away a report rang through the -summer stillness. The corncrake ran on with one wing trailing. The -distance had been too great, or Frank would not have done so little -damage. Just as it seemed that the bird would get away, Dick and Jimmy -appeared over the opposite hedge. The corncrake seeing them, immediately -fell down and lay apparently dead. They picked it up and brought it to -Frank, who laid it on the ground by his side, and went on with his -calling, while the others lay on the grass and talked. - -A heap of hay had been left by the side of the hedge, and Dick lazily -stirred it with his foot. A large yellow under-winged moth (a moth with -grey upper-wings and bright yellow under-wings bordered with black and -very common in our hay-fields) arose, and Dick ran after it with his -hat. Another entomologist, however, was before him. A wasp pounced upon -the moth, and the two fell fluttering to the ground, and Dick caught -them both, and afterwards mounted them in the attitude in which he -caught them. - -"It was a pity to kill the wasp," said Jimmy. "It was doing just the -same as Frank here. I dare say that corncrake would like to see him -killed." - -[Illustration: DRAGON-FLY.] - -"It is the law of nature," said Frank; "and see, there is a dragon-fly -following the wasp's example." - -A large dragon-fly had seized a white butterfly, and then as it flew in -the air, it was depriving it of its wings, which fell fluttering to the -ground. - -Jimmy happening to cast his eyes upon the corncrake, saw it cautiously -lift its head, then gather itself together, looking about, and evidently -preparing for flight. - -"Look, Frank," he said, "the corncrake was only shamming death!" The -corncrake was on its legs and running away by this time, but Frank fired -and killed it. - -"I would have let it go for its cunning," he said, "but it would only -die with a broken wing. It could not live the winter here, and of course -it could not migrate. I have known the water-hen sham death in the same -way, and many insects do it. I wonder if that is instinct or reason. How -does it know that if it seems dead you will not touch it, and therefore -it may get an opportunity to escape?" - -"It is very wonderful," said Jimmy; "but you will get no more birds -to-day after two shots. They will be too wary. Come with me, and I will -show you something equally wonderful." - -"What is it?" - -"I will not tell you. Wait and see." - -They followed him to the shrubbery of Mr. Meredith's garden, and he led -them to a laurel-bush, and pointed out to them an upright fungus, creamy -white in colour, but not by any means handsome. Dick and Frank bent -forward to examine it, when suddenly they clasped their noses between -their fingers, and ran away, followed by Jimmy exulting. - -"How terrible," said Dick, blowing his nose. - -"That is the vilest smell I have ever smelt," said Frank, doing -likewise. "What is it?" - -"The common stink-horn fungus," answered Jimmy; "I thought you would -like to see it." - -"We might have liked to see it, but not to smell it. Have not you a -nose, Jimmy?" - -"Yes; but I wanted you to share my pleasure." - -"It was uncommonly kind of you, I must say." - -Mr. Meredith came up smiling and said, - -"Now, if you will come with me, I will show you a plant much more -interesting, and a plant which is like Dick, in that it catches flies." - -In a small marsh near the end of the garden were some plants of the -sundew. It is some years since I gathered one, and I have not one before -me to describe, so I quote from a little book called _Old English Wild -Flowers_:-- - -"Of all the interesting plants which grow on marsh-lands, the most -singular is the sundew. Those who have never seen its white blossoms -growing, can form but little idea of its singular appearance. Round the -root it has a circle of leaves, and each leaf has a number of red hairs -tipped with pellucid glands which exude a clear liquid, giving the -leaves a dew-besprinkled appearance as it glistens in the sunshine. -These have proved a fatal trap to numbers of insects. The foliage and -stem are much tinted with crimson, and the plant is small." - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII. - - Setting Night-lines.--An Encounter with Poachers. - - -Old Cox met Frank one day, and said to him in his broad Norfolk, which -would be unintelligible to you were I to render it faithfully,-- - -"I wish you would give me some more fish, Mr. Merivale. You catch -plenty, and if you would give me some that you doesn't want, I would -take them to Norwich market and sell them. I sorely want to buy a pair -of blankets for the old woman and me afore the winter comes." - -"Well, Cox, you shall have all we catch and don't want," said Frank; and -when he saw his friends he said,-- - -"Let us make a mighty night-line, and set it like the long lines the -Cromer fishermen set for cods, and lay it in the broad for eels, and -give all we catch to Cox. Two or three nights' haul will set him up for -the winter." - -So they made a long night-line. They bought a quarter of a mile of stout -cord, and at distances of a yard from each other they fastened eel-hooks -by means of short lengths of fine water-cord. Cox himself got them the -worms, and then one fine night they rowed the punt to the middle of the -broad, and set the night-line in the deep water of the channel. - -"Well," said Dick, "this is the longest and most wearisome job I have -ever done, and old Cox ought to be infinitely obliged to us. We have -been two hours and a half setting this line." - -Early in the morning they went out, and took up the night-line, but to -their great surprise they found but very few eels on it, and plenty of -bream, which they did not want. They were much disappointed at this, and -went to Bell, and asked him the reason, for there were plenty of eels in -the broad. - -"Where did you set the line?" he asked. - -"In the deep water of the channel." - -"Then that is just the place where you ought not to have set it. At -night the eels make for the shallow water to feed, and if the grass is -wet they will even wriggle out among it. I have seen them myself many a -time. You must set your line along the edge where the water is about a -foot or two feet deep, and you will have as many eels as you can carry." - -They tried again, and set the line as Bell had directed them, and the -next morning they began to haul it in. The first hook came up bare. So -did the second, and the third. As they hauled in the line their faces -looked very blank, for every hook was bare. - -"We are not the first," said Frank savagely, "some other fellows have -been here before us, and have taken up the line, and robbed it. They -must have watched us laying it. Now I'll tell you what we will do. We -will set it again to-night, and watch in the yacht, and if we see any -fellows touching it we will give them a drubbing. Are you game?" - -"Yes," answered both Dick and Jimmy readily, "we are." - -So the third time they set the line, and then as soon as it got dark -they crept quietly on board the yacht. They had set the line within 150 -yards of the _Swan_, and as there was a glitter on the water from the -reflection of the stars, they could see if anyone approached it. - -"What shall we do if they do touch it?" said Dick. "How shall we get at -them?" - -"I did intend to take the boat, and row after them," answered Frank; -"but see, we are to windward of them, and there is a good breeze, so -that if we let the yacht drift towards them until they take the alarm, -and then run the sails up, we shall overtake them." - -"And what shall we do then?" said Jimmy, who was becoming a little -nervous. - -"Run them down--the water is not deep enough to drown them--and take -away their boat if we can, and then make them come and beg our pardon -before we give it up to them. If they attempt to board us, knock them -over again." - -Frank spoke decidedly and hotly, for he was much put out at the theft of -the fish. His family had so befriended the poor people around, that it -was very ungrateful of some of them to rob their line. His spirits rose, -too, with a force he could not resist, at the thought of a midnight -engagement, and the chance of outwitting those who had thought to outwit -him. Dick and Jimmy were ready to follow their dux at any instant, and -anywhere. - -"They won't come till about midnight," said Frank, "so we may as well -take a little sleep." - -About two o'clock they were broad awake, and lying flat on the deck of -the yacht, peering into the darkness in the direction of the night-line. - -"Hush," said Dick; "I heard a noise like that of oars." - -They listened, and sure enough they heard the noise of oars splashing in -the water, and grating in the rowlocks. - -"Here they are," whispered Frank. "We shall soon be in the thick of it." - -Dick had been trembling for some time in his nervousness, and he thought -somewhat bitterly, "What is the matter with me? Am I a coward?" and he -felt ashamed at the thought. It was not cowardice, however, but pure -nervousness, and the moment he heard the sound of the approaching voices -his nervousness departed, and he felt as cool and collected as Frank. - -A black patch soon became visible on the water, and they could just -distinguish the outline of the boat. A splash in the water told them -that the mooring stone had been thrown out, and that the robbers were at -work. Frank quietly slipped his mooring, and the yacht drifted quickly -towards the men. They were soon near enough to see that there were two -men in the boat, and they heard one of them say in a startled tone,-- - -"I say, Jack, that yacht's adrift." - -"Is there any one on board, did you see?" said the other. - -"No, I don't think so." - -"Yes, there is though. Pull up that stone and row off as fast as you -can," answered his companion. - -"Up with the sail!" shouted Frank, as he flew to the helm. Dick and -Jimmy threw themselves on the halyard, and the great sail rose with -surprising quickness against the dark night. The men in the boat were -now pulling away at the top of their speed, but with the wind dead aft -the yacht bore swiftly down upon them. The water was only about two feet -deep, and began to shallow. The yacht's centre boards were up, but still -she could not go much further, and they could tell that they were -continually touching the mud. - -"They will escape us," said Dick. - -"No, there is a deep bay just where they are rowing," said Jimmy. - -As the water deepened the yacht started forwards, and in another minute -they were on the runaways. Crash went their bows against the boat: she -was at once capsized, and her occupants were struggling in the water. -One of them scrambled on board the _Swan_, and rushed aft with an oar -upraised to strike, but Frank laid the helm over as he put the yacht -about, and the boom struck the fellow on the head and knocked him -overboard. - -Meanwhile Dick had with the boat-hook tried to catch hold of the boat. -In this he failed, but he got hold of something far more important, and -that was a large fine-mesh net, which the poachers had no doubt intended -to use after robbing the night-line. With such nets the damage done to -fishing is enormous. Shoals of fishes as small as minnows, and useless -for anything except manure, are massacred with them, and it is by the -constant use of such nets that the fishing on the broads falls now so -far short of what it used to be. Night-lines set for eels are not -poaching or destructive. The quantity of eels is so great, that, as long -as the young ones are spared, either night-lines or nets of the proper -kind may be used. - -The yacht swept on, leaving the men up to their waists in the water, and -swearing horribly. Frank felt a wild impulse to return and fight them, -for he was of a fighting blood, such as a soldier should have, but he -thought, "If we go back there are sure to be some hard blows, and I have -no right to take Dick or Jimmy into a scrimmage and perhaps get them -severely hurt, for they are not so strong as I am," so he refrained, and -they sailed back to the boat-house, and waited until the dawn. Their -adversaries dared not attack them, but went off out of sight and -hearing. - -In the morning they took up the line, and were well-rewarded for their -previous trouble. The eels they took pretty well loaded the donkey-cart -which old Cox had borrowed, and he took them to Norwich and made a good -profit out of them. - -Having amused themselves once with the night-lines the boys did not care -to use them again, for it was _infra dig._ to catch fish for profit. -However the profits were good to other people, so they gave the line to -old Cox, and told him that he must get some one to set it, and go shares -with him. - -The next day Frank walked down to the village public-house and stuck up -the following notice in the bar,-- - -"If the person to whom the nets I have belong, will call at my house and -claim them, he shall have the nets and a good thrashing." - -Frank was five feet eleven inches high, and well built in addition, and -he had always a look on his face which said "I mean what I say;" and the -nets were never claimed. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV. - - Water Insects.--Aquaria. - - -One July afternoon the boys had been fishing, and to seek some shade and -coolness while eating their lunch, they had driven the yacht into a -quiet pool among the reeds, which almost met over them. The water below -them was very clear and still, and as it was only about two feet deep -they could see the bottom quite plainly, and they soon found that it was -well worth a close inspection. The pool was teeming with insect life. -The surface of the water was covered with tiny whirligig beetles, which -were skimming about in mazy, coruscating evolutions. - -"Those whirligig beetles," said Dick, "have their eyes made with two -faces--one to look down into the water, and the other to look into the -sky." - -"What a lot you have learnt about insects, Dick, in the course of a few -months," said Frank. - -[Illustration: METAMORPHOSES OF FLESH-FLY.] - -"It is a grand study," said Dick enthusiastically; "and I have worked my -best at it. When one goes hard at a thing it is astonishing how soon one -picks up a lot of knowledge about it. I have read over and over again -about the common insects, or those that are the most noticeable." - -"Well, tell us about all those insects we see now." - -[Illustration: WATER-BEETLE.] - -"Look at those long-legged narrow-bodied flies which are sliding along -over the surface. These are called water-measurers. That oval beetle -which is swimming on its back, and using two legs like oars, is the -water boatman. It fastens on to the head of small fish, and soon kills -them. It lives in the water, but if put on land it can fly. Look at that -brute crawling over the mud, with its lobster-like head. It has sharp -claws and a hollow snout. It lies in wait for its victims, and when it -seizes them it sucks the juice out of them with its beak. It looks only -of a dull brown now, but when its wings are expanded its body is of a -blood red colour, and its tail is forked. It sometimes comes out for a -fly at night." - -"And what is the fearfully ugly thing climbing up that reed-stem just -out of the water?" - -[Illustration: PUPA OF DRAGON-FLY.] - -[Illustration: COMPOUND EYE OF DRAGON-FLY (SECTION).] - -"Oh, that is the larva of the dragon-fly. The fly is about to come out -of the case. Just watch it for a while." - -[Illustration: LARVA OF GNAT.] - -[Illustration: ESCAPE OF GNAT FROM ITS PUPA-CASE.] - -The larva of the dragon-fly is one of the ugliest of creatures. It has a -long light-brown body and six legs. It has a fierce wide mouth and -projecting eyes. Attached to its head are two claws, which with a -pincer-like movement, catch up anything eatable and pass it to the -mouth. In its larva and pupa state it has just the same appearance, and -when it is about to change into a perfect dragon-fly it climbs up out of -the water and emerges out of its case, just like the butterfly, and -sails away a perfect and gorgeous insect, leaving its case a transparent -brown shell, still clinging to the reed or grass-stem on which it -contracted its last change. - -"Bother the gnats!" said Jimmy brushing some off his face. "There is -nothing interesting about them." - -"Oh yes, there is," said Dick. "They lay their eggs on the surface of -the water, making a raft of them, and the larvæ escape through the -bottom of each egg into the water; and I have read that it is a very -pretty sight to watch the perfect insect coming out." - -[Illustration: METAMORPHOSES OF PLUMED GNAT.] - -"I would prefer their staying down below; they bite me," answered Jimmy. - -Crawling along the bottom were numbers of caddis-worms in tube-like -cases made of sticks and stones. Inside these cases are the plump white -grubs which turn into flies. - -"Where the bottom is gravelly these caddis-worms make their cases of -little stones," said Frank. - -"Yes, and I read the other day that an experiment had been tried by some -one, who took some out of their nests and put them into an aquarium with -some finely-broken glass of different colours, and the caddis-worms made -their cases of this broken coloured glass, and very pretty they looked." - -"Their own bodies must supply the glue which fastens the pieces of -gravel or glass together?" - -"Yes, it does." - -As the fish were biting very badly the boys left the broad early and -went for a stroll. While passing through the village they saw a sale of -stock going on in the open space round which the houses were ranged. -They stopped to look on. The goods which were being sold were the stock -in trade of a chemist, and among them were three large glass bowls, such -as are used for aquaria. These were put up by the auctioneer in one lot, -but there was no bid for them. They were articles not in request in that -rural district. - -[Illustration: PUPA-CASE, LARVA, AND FLY OF CADDIS-WORM.] - -"Will no one make me a bid? Everything is to be sold without -reservation," cried the auctioneer. - -"Five shillings," said Frank. - -"Going at five shillings!--going! going!--gone!"--and the lot was -knocked down to Frank. - -"What are you going to do with them?" asked Jimmy. - -"Make them into aquaria, of course. Don't you see they are just the -thing. The idea came into my head as soon as I saw them." - -"Then we can put some water insects in," said Dick. - -The glass reservoirs were placed on a shelf in the boat-house, and the -next morning before breakfast they were fitted up. They got a quantity -of fine gravel and sand, and thoroughly washed it in water, so as to -cleanse it from all mud and impurity. This was placed to the depth of a -couple of inches in each vessel, and a rock-work of worn flints was -built upon it. Water was poured in to within a few inches of the top, -and pieces of anacharis were planted in the gravel, their roots kept -down by the stones. In a day or two the water had got clear, and the -plants had taken root, and the boys proceeded to stock the aquaria. The -small brook near afforded minnows and sticklebacks in plenty. In a -stagnant pool they got some newts and water-insects. From the broad they -obtained a few small perch, roach, and bream, and an eel about six -inches long. They at first put these all together without any attempt at -sorting them, and then the following consequences ensued. The -water-boatmen fastened on the heads of the small fish and speedily -killed them, and ate them up. The sticklebacks made themselves at home -at once, and proved very pugnacious, fighting each other, dashing at a -stick or finger, if put into the water, but, worst of all, annoying the -minnows. Each male stickleback took up a position of his own, and -resented any approach to within a few inches of it. With his glaring -green eyes, and scarlet breast, he would wage war against any intruder; -and when an unsuspecting minnow came within his ken he would sidle up to -it, till within striking distance, then dash at it, and strike it with -his snout in the stomach. The perch swallowed the minnows, and when they -had vanished, attempted to swallow the sticklebacks, but the spines of -the latter stuck in the perches' gullets and choked them. The eel, too, -would writhe and poke through the gravel and stir it up, displacing the -weeds and doing a lot of mischief. - -[Illustration: MINNOW.] - -This led to a general reconstruction of the aquaria. The perch were -taken out and restored to the broad, together with the eel. The roach, -bream, and minnows, were put into two of the aquaria by themselves, and -the sticklebacks and water-insects into the other. Many a fight took -place among the sticklebacks and the water-boatmen, in which sometimes -the one and sometimes the other came off victorious. - -[Illustration: SMOOTH NEWT.] - -The boys then got some caddis-worms, pulled them from their cases, and -put them into a glass vessel filled with water, and having at the bottom -some glass of different colours broken into small pieces. In a short -time the caddis-worms had made themselves new, parti-coloured cases of -glass, which were quite transparent, and through which the white bodies -of the grubs could be plainly seen. Frank put these in among the minnows -one day, and it was amusing to see the fish darting at the caddis-worms, -thinking they would be soft, succulent morsels, and to watch their -evident astonishment at being foiled by the hard cases. This suggested -an idea to Frank which he afterwards carried out. - -None of the sticklebacks kept by the boys built nests or bred, so that -they missed seeing a very pretty and interesting sight. "Fishes building -nests!" I hear some of my readers exclaiming. Yes, sticklebacks do build -nests, and in the number for January 1866 of _Science Gossip_ is an -interesting account of this habit, which I take the liberty of quoting. -When I have observed any fact in natural history myself, I describe it -in my own words; but when I take it from the observation of others, it -is fairer to them to use their own words, and far better in the -interests of truth:-- - -"Two pair of sticklebacks were procured about the middle of April,--the -males having already put on their spring dress of scarlet and green, and -the females being full of spawn. - -[Illustration: METAMORPHOSES OF NEWT.] - -"After a few days a small hole was observed in the sand near a large -stone. To this hole one of the males was paying the most assiduous and -extraordinary attention. He was poising himself at an angle of -forty-five degrees or thereabouts; he commenced a tremendous motion of -his whole body, making the sand a pivot, and at the same time beating -the water with his fins. This motion increased regularly in rapidity for -a minute or so, when it ceased abruptly, and the fish darted off, either -in pursuit of some trespasser whom he chastised (the females not even -being exempt), or to obtain materials to increase his nest. These -consisted of pieces of stick or moss, which being saturated with water, -were of such gravity as to prevent their rising. He deposited these with -great care, leaving a perfectly round hole in the middle, and then -having procured a mouthful of sand, laid it over the looser materials to -cement them together. - -"When completed, the nest resembled a flattened haycock. - -"For about a week after this completion it seemed deserted. But one -morning it was found that some eggs had been laid. These for the size of -the fish are very large, being about the size of a middling-sized shot. -They hatched in about from ten days to a fortnight,--the young fish -remaining in the nest until the yolk-bag was absorbed, when, being large -enough to look after themselves, they went their way. The parent who had -so tenderly guarded them took no further heed of them, and himself -died--such being the case in both instances which came under notice, -both parents sickening and dying from the effects of spawning and -watching, or perhaps from the aquarium not being fitted for their -recovery." - -[Illustration: WATER-FLEAS.] - -[Illustration: ANIMALCULÆ IN DROP OF WATER, AS SEEN UNDER THE -MICROSCOPE.] - -Those who keep aquaria in an intelligent manner and study the habits of -the creatures they imprison, will find it both interesting work, and a -never-failing source of amusement. It is very little trouble. When the -water is put in, and the plants begin to grow, the water need not be -changed. The oxygen produced by the plants will keep the water pure, -and will supply it with air. - -[Illustration: FRESH-WATER AQUARIUM.] - -The green confervoid growth which rapidly forms on the sides of the -aquarium must not be all wiped off, for it assists greatly in keeping -the water pure and healthy. Tie a piece of sponge to a stick, and with -this you can wipe it off from that side where it obstructs the view, -without disturbing the rest of the aquarium. If you have no cover, and -dust accumulates on the surface of the water, it may easily be removed -by means of a piece of paper laid on the surface of the water for a few -minutes. The dust will adhere to this, and be taken away with it when -it is removed. The confervoid growth is best kept down by the common -water-snail, several of which should be kept in the aquarium. - -You must of course feed the fish occasionally with worms, insects, and -bread; but give them very little at a time, or you will foul the water -and render it muddy, and the fish will sicken and die. Keep these few -hints in mind, and you will have no trouble in managing your aquarium. - -[Illustration: METAMORPHOSES OF FROG.] - -From aquaria to flowers is a sudden transition, but a bunch of violets -has just been held to my nose to smell, and their sweet fragrance has -borne me in thought from my study, where I am burning the midnight oil, -to the green woods and fields of my boyhood, and then a sudden review of -events which have happened since in my life, makes me more thankful than -ever that that boyhood was, as far as natural history is concerned, a -prototype to the boys of whom I am now writing, and makes me wish to -urge the more strongly upon you the almost boundless advantages which -follow the study to all. You will of course clearly see that my aim in -writing this book is not merely to amuse, but to teach you some of the -wonders which lie ready for you to explore, and the delight of seeking -and discovering those wonders. I do not, however, want to moralize, -because if I do you will skip my moralising, so I will pull up in time -and get on with my story. - -[Illustration: SEA-WATER AQUARIUM.] - - - - -CHAPTER XXV. - - Making a Fern Case.--Ferns.--Harvest Mouse.-- - Mole.--Ladybird.--Grasses. - - -[Illustration: WALL SPLEENWORT.] - -From ten till four the boys were engaged with Mr. Meredith, but they had -a holiday on Saturday, and by rising early they could gain so many of -the fairest and most beautiful hours of the day that lessons seemed but -an interval between a long morning and a long afternoon. They thus made -plenty of time for their numerous occupations. - -[Illustration: FORKED SPLEENWORT.] - -Mary said to Jimmy one day, "Will you make me a fern-case? Frank has so -many things to do. I have been promised a lot of ferns from Devonshire. -A friend of mine will send them to me by post, and I should so like to -have a nice little fernery for my bedroom window." - -[Illustration: GREEN SPLEENWORT.] - -Jimmy gladly promised to make one for her, and Dick, who would have -liked to have had the commission himself, volunteered to help him. They -first of all made a strong deal box, about two feet six inches long, and -one foot six inches broad, and six inches deep. This was lined carefully -with sheet lead, which was to make it perfectly water-tight. They then -made a wooden framework, with a pointed roof, to fit on the top of it. -This they glazed with ordinary window-glass, and painted all the -wood-work black. It was now ready for the soil. First they put a layer, -about two inches deep, of broken sandstone, in order to ensure perfect -drainage, and mixed with this were some lumps of charcoal to keep it -pure. Then they filled up the box with earth, mixed in the proportions -following:--one-third part of garden mould, one-third part of sand, and -one-third part of peaty earth, with an admixture of dead leaves. In the -centre of the rockery they built up a framework of curiously water-worn -flints, and then they carried the affair in triumph to Mary's room, -where they planted the ferns she had received from her friend--glossy, -whole-leaved hart's-tongues, delicate, black-stemmed maiden-hair, -ladder-like polypodies and blechnums, feathery lady-ferns, light green -and branching oak-ferns, and many another species, which, -notwithstanding their removal from the Devonshire lanes, grew and -flourished in Mary's fern-case, and soon became a sight most pleasant to -the eye. - -[Illustration: OAK FERN.] - -[Illustration: FRUCTIFICATION OF FERNS. - 1. Asplenium. 2. Scolopendrium. 3. Cystopteris. 4. Blechnum. - 5. Hymenophyllum. 6. Pteris. 7. Adiantum. 8. Trichomanes. 9. Woodsia.] - -To anyone fond of ferns nothing can be more interesting than a -fern-case. Nearly all ferns grow well in them, if they are properly -attended to. Whenever the soil becomes dry on the surface, they should -be well watered, and this should not be done too often, or it will -encourage the growth of mould. The moisture will evaporate and condense -on the side of the glass, and run down again to the earth, so that there -is very little waste. The plants thus create an atmosphere of their own, -and will thrive in it wonderfully. - -[Illustration: WALL RUE. JERSEY FERN. MARSH FERN.] - -One day it was so intensely hot that it was impossible to do anything -but lie in the shade. The boys had bathed twice, and the deck planks of -the yacht were so burning hot that they could with difficulty stand upon -them. They sought a shady corner of the paddock, and there underneath a -tall hedge and the shade of an oak they lay, and talked, and read. Frank -was teasing Dick with a piece of grass, and to escape him, Dick got up -and sat on a rail in the hedge which separated them from the next field, -which was a corn-field. This quietly gave way, and Dick rolled into the -next field, and lay among the corn quite happy and contented. Suddenly -he called out-- - -"Come and look at this nest in the corn-stalks! It can't be a bird's. -What is it?" - -Frank and Jimmy went through the gap and examined it. - -[Illustration: HARVEST MOUSE AND NEST.] - -"It is the nest of a harvest mouse," said Frank, "and there are half a -dozen naked little mice inside." - -The harvest mouse is the smallest of British animals. Unlike its -relatives, it builds its nest in the stalks of grass or corn at a little -distance from the ground. The nest is globular in shape, made of woven -grass, and has a small entrance like that of a wren's. - -[Illustration: MOLE.] - -"And here is a mole-trap," said Jimmy, "with a mole in it. What smooth -glossy fur it has! It will set whichever way you rub it." - -"Yes; and don't you see the use of that. It can run backwards or -forwards along its narrow burrows with the greatest ease. It could not -do that if the fur had a right and a wrong way." - -"Can it see?" asked Jimmy, pointing to the tiny black specks which -represented its eyes. - -"Oh yes. Not very well, I dare say; but well enough for its own -purposes. It can run along its passages at a great speed, as people have -found out by putting straws at intervals along them, and then startling -the mole at one end and watching the straws as they were thrown down." - -During the autumn and winter the mole resides in a fortress, often at -short distances from the burrow where it nests. This fortress is always -placed in a position of safety, and is of a most complex construction. -It is a hillock, containing two or three tiers of galleries with -connecting passages, and from the central chamber it has passages, or -rows, extending in different directions. - -[Illustration: LADYBIRD AND ITS STAGES.] - -The boys returned to their couches in the long grass in the shade, and -Frank was soon too sleepy to tease, but lay on the broad of his back, -looking up at the blue sky through the interstices of the oak branches. -Dick was studying the movements of a ladybird with red back and black -spots, which was crawling up a grass-stem, and wondering how such a -pretty creature could eat a green juicy aphis, as it has a habit of -doing. Jimmy was turning over the pages of his book, and looking out the -plates of flowers, and comparing them with some he had gathered. He was -rather bewildered and somewhat discouraged at the immensity of the study -he had undertaken. No sooner did he learn the name of a flower than it -was driven from his head by that of another, and having attempted to do -too much in the beginning, he had got into a pretty state of confusion. -He had given up the idea of keeping pace with naming all the beautiful -flowers he had found. He gathered and dried them, and left to the winter -evenings the task of arranging and naming them. - -"I say," called out Frank, "around my face there are at least seven -different kinds of grasses. Can you name them, Jimmy?--and how many -different kinds of grasses are there?" - -"I can name nothing," said Jimmy dolefully, "but I will look it up in my -book and tell you. Here it is, but their name seems legion. You must -look at them for yourself. The plates are very beautiful, but the -quaking grass, of which there is any quantity just by your head, is the -prettiest." - -"They seem as pretty as ferns," said Frank. "I must learn something more -about them." - -A day or two after this Mr. Meredith said to them, when they had -assembled at his house in the morning: - -"Now, boys, from something a little bird has whispered to me, I think -you stand in need of a little punishment, and I therefore mean to give -you a lesson. You are by far too desultory in your study of natural -history. You attempt to do too much, and so you only obtain a -superficial knowledge, instead of the thorough and practical one you -ought to have. You are trying to reach a goal before you have fairly -started from the toe-line. I allude more especially now to botanical -matters, because I know most about them, and that is all I can help you -in. Therefore you will be kind enough to translate into Latin this Essay -which I have written on the Life of a Fern." - -"That is anything but a punishment, sir," said Frank, laughing. - -The boys set to work with great zest at their novel lesson. I set the -English of it out in the next chapter, and I particularly request my -young readers to read every word of it. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI. - - The Life of a Fern.[1] - - [1] For this Chapter I am indebted to my friend Mr. William Whitwell, - of Oxford. - - -One of the most marvellous of "the fairy tales of science" has now to -engage our attention for a time. The growth and fertilization of the -seeds--more properly called spores--of ferns, present phenomena of -remarkable singularity and interest. Growth is advisedly named first, as -in the present instance it really does occur before fertilization, which -is not the primary event in the life-history of a fern. - -But a few words must be devoted to the preliminary question: What is a -fern? - -The vegetable kingdom is divided into two great provinces, allotted -respectively to the flowering and the flowerless tribes. The flowering -plants have several distinct and visible organs for the formation and -fertilization of their seed, to each of which is assigned a special and -necessary office. In the flowerless section, on the contrary, there are -none of these visibly separate agencies in reproduction, and what are -usually termed the seeds do not show any parts representative of the -developed product. In the true seeds, which belong to flowering plants -alone, are contained the rudiments of a stem, leaves, and root, but in -the spores of the flowerless plants nothing of the kind is found. The -spores, again, are microscopic, while the smallest of true seeds can be -not only seen but easily picked up. You have, doubtless, met with the -peculiar fungus called a puff-ball, and amused yourselves by watching the -little clouds of impalpable dust which are shaken from it on the -slightest motion. Those fine clouds, not nearly so visible as a film of -candle smoke, are composed of innumerable spores, and such are the -representatives of seeds in every member of the great section of the -flowerless plants. - -Now it is peculiar to ferns, that the cases in which these spores are -enclosed grow directly from the veins of what is usually called the -leaf, but is more correctly termed the frond, and always appear upon the -back or at the margin. - -Ferns, then, are flowerless plants which bear their spores in cases -growing upon the back or margin of the leaves. - -In order that the phenomena of growth and fertilization in ferns may be -clearly understood, it is necessary to refer to the process as taking -place in flowering plants. The tulip is most appropriate for an -illustration, inasmuch as its various parts will be recognised with -ease. - -At the bottom of the blossom is a thick green oval body called the -ovary, which afterwards becomes the seed-vessel. At the top, this -narrows into a short column, surmounted by a three-cleft knob. Between -the ovary and the gorgeously painted flower-leaves are six curious -organs, termed stamens, consisting each of a long and rather slender -stalk, and a head formed somewhat like a hammer. - -If the green oval ovary in the centre is cut in two, it will be found -divided into three chambers, in one or another of which, not usually in -all, will be seen a row of little knobs or buttons attached to the -partition in the middle. These little buttons are ovules, or seed-germs, -and the special office of the ovary is to produce these germs, and to -contain them until their full development and complete ripening into -seeds. But if the knobs are left just as they are, unfertilized, they -can never become seeds, and the plant will fail to reproduce its kind. - -Turn we now to the stamens. Each of their hammer-like heads has two -chambers, full of beautiful little grains which are called the pollen. -Each grain is tastefully and delicately marked, and holds a transparent -watery fluid, in which a number of extremely small solid particles are -floating. What is required for the fertilization of the seed-germs -is--that this fluid should be conveyed to and taken up by them. But they -are in the centre of the thick green ovary--this in the chambers of the -stamens! - -A simple arrangement brings all about. At a certain time we may see the -black heads of the stamens covered with a fine flour, which adheres to -whatever touches them. This flour is made up solely of pollen-grains, -escaping in unimaginable numbers from the chambers where they are -produced. At the same time the knob which crowns the seed-vessel puts -forth a thick and gummy ooze. The stamens are just long enough for their -heads to rise a little above this knob, upon which the pollen, when -escaping as I have stated, falls in great quantity, and is there held -fast. - -Each grain then begins to swell, and to sprout (as the Rev. J. G. Wood -has it) something like potatoes in a cellar. All the sprouts, however, -pierce the knob, and push downwards until they reach the seed-germs -underneath. Each sprout is a tube of extreme minuteness, and when it -reaches a germ, attaches itself thereto, and, through the channel so -formed, the fluid is drawn out of the pollen-grain and absorbed by the -embryo seed. Fertilization is thus effected, and the growth and -development of the germ proceeds until it becomes a seed fully able, -when planted, to reproduce a tulip. - -[Illustration: FERN SPORES.] - -In ferns, the spores ripen and are ready for dispersion and partial -growth without any process of the kind. But, in truth, fertilization is -as necessary to the continuance of ferns as to the perpetuation of other -plants. The main difference lies in this: that the means of -fertilization, and the real germs of new plants, are produced from the -spores after they begin to grow. - -When a spore falls upon a proper place for its development, a portion -of the outer membrane begins to swell, and a tongue-shaped projection is -formed, which becomes a sort of root. The one chamber of the spore -gradually subdivides, and becomes two, four, and so on, until for the -simple spore we have a tiny leaf-like expansion, now known as the -_prothallium_, or representative of a leaf. - -Further than this the spore alone has no power to go, and the -prothallium is not truly the germ of the future plant. True germs, -needing fertilization, are produced upon it, and also the means whereby -they can be fertilized. These can be distinguished only by use of the -higher microscopic powers. If a portion of the prothallium is examined, -it will be found studded with little bladders, containing round -semi-transparent bodies of a greenish hue. - -There may also be seen, though in fewer numbers, pellucid cells of an -entirely different character, consisting apparently only of a fine -membrane, forming an angular chamber, shaped in some instances like a -lantern of extreme delicacy and elegance. From the top of this chamber a -funnel-like shaft descends to a little germ which is situated at the -bottom. This germ is the real original of the future plant, and the -round bodies in their little cells, just before described, are the means -whereby it is to be fertilized and receive energy to develope into the -perfect fern. - -But how can the needful contact between the germs and the fertilizing -bodies be brought about? Observation and experiment supply a strange -answer to this question. - -The round bodies in the tiny bladders acquire a spiral or shell-like -form when they become mature. If a drop of water is then placed in -contact with the bladders, their contents will suddenly escape, -retaining for a moment the coiled appearance, but quickly lengthening -and partially unrolling. - -By means of hairs with which they are furnished, and which at once -commence a ceaseless jerking motion, they forthwith launch out into the -water, and conduct themselves therein more like creatures endowed with -conscious life than mere organs of a settled and sedate member of the -vegetable kingdom. - -These bodies, drawing near the germ-cells in the course of their travels -through the, to them, vast ocean of the water-drop, have been seen -arrested in their progress and passing down the funnel-shafts to the -germs below--so fulfilling the purpose for which they were designed and -their curious swimming powers were given. - -The germs, so fertilized, become the underground stems of which I have -yet to speak, putting forth roots and producing the tender, rolled-up -buds which finally expand into the fronds whose grace and beauty we so -much admire. - -These germs, appearing on the prothallium or leaf-like expansion of the -spore, are the true representatives of seeds, and the swimming bodies -correspond to the pollen or fertilizing dust of flowers. - -Thus we see that germs and means of fertilization are produced in the -fern as truly as in higher plants, and that the simple agency whereby -the one may reach and exert the needful action upon the other, is the -_dew-drop_ resting on the prothallium from which they are developed. -Without the dew-drop or the rain-drop as a means of communication both -must perish with their mission unfulfilled. This is, perhaps, one of the -most singular instances ever to be found, of the mutual dependency of -created things, or, to give different expression to the same idea, of -the mode in which each link of the great network of existence is -connected with every other. - -Returning to the fern, whose "strange eventful history" we have traced -so far,--the germ enlarges and becomes what is usually called the root, -but is really an underground stem. The true roots are the little -fibres--often black and wiry, looking more dead than alive--which -descend from this. - -The stem may be of two kinds--long, thin, and creeping, as in the common -polypody, or short, stout, and upright, as in the common male fern. - -At intervals along the creeping stem, or arranged more or less regularly -around the crown of the erect stem, little buds appear, which eventually -form the fronds which are the really conspicuous portion of the plant, -and whose aspect is familiar to us all. The buds present a character of -great interest and singularity. Instead of being simply folded together, -as leaves generally are,--in all but two of our British kinds the fronds -are rolled up after the fashion of a crosier or shepherd's crook. In -divided fronds, the sections are rolled up first, and singly, and then -the whole are rolled up again, as if forming but a single piece. The -aspect of some of these young fronds--in the common bracken, for -instance--with their many divisions all partially unrolled, is often -highly curious. - -But in this I am proceeding too far. The first crop of fronds, even in -those kinds which when mature are most deeply cut, are usually very -simple in form--almost or wholly undivided. - -This fact is often a source of great confusion to beginners. I well -remember two perplexities of the kind in which I was involved during the -earlier season of my attention to this subject. - -Growing upon a rock by the roadside, I found a small fern, more -exquisitely beautiful than any I had seen before. I gathered and -preserved it, but for many months was wholly puzzled as to its nature. -Fancies arose that I was the happy discoverer of a new species,--and -what if Professor Lindley or Sir William Hooker were to name it after -me--Asplenium, or Polystichum, or something else, Meredithii? That would -be better than a peerage. - -These were but fancies, and I was well pleased when further -experience--for books helped me not at all--showed that it was a young -plant of the common lady-fern. It was divided once only--into simple -leaflets--while the fully-developed frond of the matured plant is one of -the most highly subdivided our islands can produce. - -When I began collecting ferns, I had not seen a specimen of the rare -holly-fern, and it was pardonable in me on finding some fronds which -evidently belonged to the shield fern genus, and were divided into spiny -leaflets only, to refer them to this species and tell a friend that I -had made a great discovery. But on going to the same plant a year later, -my mistake was made plain, as the new fronds were much more divided, and -showed the plant to be of the common kind, the prickly shield-fern. - -On the rocky sides of little Welsh and Highland rivers, in glens where -the sunlight seldom enters, complete series of this fern in all its -stages--from the tiny simple leaf to the deeply-cut and boldly-outlined -frond of nearly three feet in length--may easily be obtained, and will -beautifully illustrate its varied and increasingly-divided forms. - -Some fronds of course, as those of the graceful hart's-tongue, are -undivided even at maturity, except in occasional instances in which, -like creatures endowed with more sentient life, they become erratic, -and show a disposition to pass beyond the ordinary limitations. Curious -examples of tendency to a greater than even their proper large amount of -subdivision are occasionally shown in specimens of the lady-fern, which -become forked at the extremities not only of the fronds but of the -leaflets also. - -The manner in which the fronds divide into lobes, segments, leaflets, -and so on, is of course largely dependent upon the character of the -veining, which differs widely from that of the flowering plants. In -these, the veins are either netted or parallel, but in ferns they are -forked, each branch again forking, and so on outward to the margin. This -is only partially true of the scale-fern, and not true at all of the -adder's-tongue; but it is the case with all other of our native kinds. - -[Illustration: SCALY SPLEENWORT OR "RUSTY BACK."] - -Passing now to the production of the spores, and so completing the cycle -of a fern's existence,--these appear in cases which spring in some -instances from leafless veins or central ribs, but mostly from the veins -as they usually occur, and at the back or, in the bristle-fern and -filmy-ferns, at the margin of the fronds. The cases grow in clusters -which are termed sori, each of which is generally protected by a -covering, though in the genus of the polypodies this is entirely absent, -the clusters being fully exposed to the diversities of wind and weather. -In the protected kinds, the cover assumes various forms. The filmy-ferns -have it as a tiny cup, enclosing the spore-cases. In the bladder-fern it -is like a fairy helmet. The shield-ferns, as their name implies, produce -it as a little shield, fastened by its centre. In the buckler-ferns it -is kidney-shaped, in the spleenworts long and narrow, and so on. Some -kinds can scarcely be credited with the formation of a real cover, but -their sori are protected by the turned-down margins of the fronds. In a -few sorts, separate fronds are provided for the production of the -spores, and these mostly differ in shape from the ordinary or barren -fronds. - -The spore-cases are generally almost microscopic, flask-like in shape, -and encircled by an elastic ring of peculiar structure, which passes -either from top to bottom like a parallel of longitude, or round the -sides like the equator round the earth. The exact nature of this -band,--whether its elasticity be due to the mechanical arrangement of -its cells, which are narrower on the inner than on the outer side, and -apparently filled with solid matter, or to a quality of its -substance,--I am unable to determine. - -[Illustration: WILSON'S FILMY-FERN.] - -[Illustration: TUNBRIDGE FILMY-FERN.] - -When the spores are fully ripe, and ready for dispersion, the band, -which has hitherto been bent around them, springs open with great -suddenness and force, tearing the enclosing membrane and casting them -forth upon the breeze, to undergo in their turn all the changes we have -traced, or, as must be the case with multitudes, such are the countless -numbers in which they are produced, to perish, humanly speaking, with -all the beautiful possibilities of their nature for ever lost. - -The botanist is led away from care, not merely into holes and corners-- - - "Brimful dykes and marshes dank"-- - -but to glorious vales and to mountain tops, where fresh health-laden -breezes play around him, and he can delight in scenes of grandeur and -loveliness to a degree which only a true lover of nature knows. - -A poet I have read gave sweet expression to thoughts and feelings which -I have often shared, when he wrote thus:-- - - "Oh! God be praised for a home - Begirt with beauty rare, - A perfect home, where gentle thoughts - Are trained 'mid scenes so fair; - - "And where (God grant it so) the heart - That loves a beauteous view, - The while it grows in truth and taste - May grow in goodness too. - - "For 'tis my creed that part to part - So clingeth in the soul, - That whatsoe'er doth better one, - That bettereth the whole. - - "And whoso readeth nature's book, - Widespread throughout the earth, - Will something add unto his love - Of wisdom and of worth." - -Happy are those who can find relief from the worry and turmoil of -business in the observation and study of the myriad forms of life which -flourish upon the earth, or whose record is laid up within its rocks. -But blessed is he who, from the contemplation of objects so varied, -wonderful, and beautiful, can with a full heart look upward to a God -reconciled in Christ, and in reverential and loving worship exclaim, "My -_Father_ made them all!" - - - - -CHAPTER XXVII. - - On the "War-path."--Rabbit-shooting.--Flapper-shooting.-- - Duck-shooting.--Wood-pigeons.--Life in an Oak-tree.-- - Burying-beetles.--Lace-wing Fly.--Stag-beetle.--Hair-worm. - - -It was a curious sight to see the boys on the "war-path." Frank -generally led the way, with his eyes fixed on the hedge or tree-tops. -Jimmy followed closely at his heels, and Dick brought up the rear. As -their eyes were generally too much occupied in looking out for objects -of interest, to take care of their feet, they lifted the latter up from -the ground with an action like that of a thorough-bred colt, so as to -avoid any obstacles in their path. While going along one day in this -style, Frank said, - -"I tell you what we have nearly forgotten, and that is to go -flapper-shooting." - -Flappers are young ducks only just able to fly, and in July it is great -fun following them along the side of a dyke, the short flights of the -young ones making them easy shots for a beginner. - -"Let us go to-morrow," said Jimmy. - -"You two shoot, and I will look on," said Dick, who cared very little -for shooting. - -Dick was not by any means an enthusiastic gunner, as the following -anecdote will show. - -He had taken the gun, saying that he was going to shoot rabbits by the -Home Copse, a wood which belonged to Mr. Merivale. In a convenient spot -the boys had fixed a hurdle close by a hedge-bank, and twined some -brushwood through the bars. Between this and the hedge they used to take -their seat, and watch for the rabbits coming out of their burrows in the -evening. On a warm July evening Dick went to this spot alone, with a -parting injunction from Frank not to shoot at the young ones, but to -pick out the old bucks. Frank was busy with something or other, and -Jimmy was away at Norwich. When Frank had finished what he was about he -went in search of Dick. When he came to the edge of the field at the -foot of which lay the wood, he saw numbers of rabbits skipping about -close by Dick's shelter, and after waiting for some time he grew -impatient, and wondered why Dick did not fire. - -[Illustration: WILD RABBITS.] - -"He must have fallen asleep," he thought; and so with infinite care and -cunning he crawled down the hedge-side, and came upon Dick from behind. - -"Dick, why don't you shoot?" he said in a whisper. - -"Hush!" said Dick, "they look so pretty, I don't like to disturb them. -Look at the young ones frisking about." - -"Give me the gun," said Frank. - -Dick passed it to him through the hedge, and Frank, taking aim at two -fine rabbits which happened to be in a line, shot them dead. - -"I have had more pleasure in watching them than you have had in shooting -them, Frank," said Dick. - -It must not be thought that Dick was mawkishly sentimental, but he had -not the organ of destructiveness that Frank had, and it was, as he said, -quite as much sport to him to see and watch birds and animals as to -shoot them. Therefore, when the others went flapper-shooting their order -of going ranged in this wise:-- - -Frank, armed with his double-barrelled muzzle-loader (for breech-loaders -had not yet come into general use), took one side of the dyke, and -Jimmy, with a single-barrel he had bought second-hand, took the other -side, while Dick took the punt along the dyke ready to act the part of a -retriever. - -It was one of those still, hot days when the distant woods lie brooding -in a blue haze. The labours of the breeding-season over, the birds were -resting silently, and there was no sound but the monotonous hum of -insect-life. On the wide marshes all objects were distorted by the -quivering of the evaporating moisture, and the long straight dykes and -drains gleamed back defiantly at the sun. Frank and Jimmy trudged -valiantly through the rustling flags and reeds by the water-side, and -Dick pulled the punt along a little behind them. - -"Shooting is no fun this weather," said Frank, stopping to wipe the -perspiration from his brow. - -Just then a wild-duck rose from the reeds, followed by half-a-dozen -young ones. They rose on Frank's side of the dyke, so it was his turn to -shoot. He dropped his hat and handkerchief and fired, but in his hurry -he missed with the first barrel, and Jimmy, fearing they might escape, -let off his big single, and one of the young ducks fell to the ground -with a flop which told how fat he was. Frank winged another with his -second barrel, and it fell into the water, where it was despatched by a -third shot from Jimmy, who had hastily loaded. The old duck flew far -away, but the young ones only flew short distances, and then settled on -the dyke and hid in the reeds, one here and another there; and then for -an hour or so they had good sport beating about the dykes, and flushing -them one by one until they had disposed of the whole brood. - -"There," said Frank, as he handed the last of them to Dick in the punt, -"it is too hot to shoot any more to-day. We have done enough to be able -to say that we have been flapper-shooting, and that is all I care for -this hot weather." - -"I am glad you are leaving off;" said Dick, "that villanous saltpetre -smoke hangs in the air so that one can see nothing." - -"Then let us have a bathe, and leave the ducks until the winter-time," -said Jimmy. - -"Yes, but we won't leave them quite yet. We must shoot them when they -come to the corn-fields in August." - -[Illustration: WOOD-PIGEON.] - -And as we are now writing about wild-duck shooting we will just advance -a short time in our story, and take a glance at the boys shooting wild -ducks when the fields are yellow with harvest. - -Frank and Jimmy are perched in an oak-tree, which after many years of -wrestling with the winds and storms, has assumed a very quaint and -picturesque shape. Its mighty stem is riven and has great hollows in it, -and its low, wide spreading branches shade more of the field than the -Norfolk farmer likes. It stands in a hedge which separates the -corn-field, where the stems are bowing with the weight of the ears and -are ready for the scythe, from a meadow which slopes down to the marsh -and the broad. - -Frank and Jimmy both have their guns, and Dick has been sent to the -other side of the field with an old pistol, which he has been charged to -let off. - -"Cock your gun, Dick is raising his pistol," said Frank. - -A puff of smoke from out the shadow of the hedge, and a few seconds -after, a report, show that Dick has fulfilled his mission; and as the -report reaches them, first come a number of wild-pigeons, which fly past -with whistling wings. Jimmy fires and brings one to the ground. Frank -has reserved his fire, and wisely, for with slow and heavy flight come -four wild ducks right towards the tree. Frank gets two of them in a line -and fires his first barrel. Two of them fall, and with his second barrel -he wings another, which Jimmy despatches. - -[Illustration: SUSPENDED LEAF-TENTS.] - -"Come back to the tree, Dick," shouted Frank, and Dick came back. "Now -if we wait here a little while, the wild-pigeons will come back, and -some more ducks may come from the marsh." And so, having loaded their -guns, they laid them in a hollow and made themselves comfortable, and -began to chat. - -"Did you ever notice how much insect-life there is in an oak-tree?" -said Dick. "Just watch this branch while I tap it." - -He struck the branch as he spoke, and immediately there fell from it -scores of caterpillars, which let themselves fall by a silken thread, -and descended, some nearly to the ground, others only a little distance. - -"I was reading the other day," said Dick, "of the immense quantity of -moths which lay their eggs on the oak. There are caterpillars which -build little houses of bark to live in. Others roll up the leaves and so -make tents for themselves. Others eat the surface of the leaves, and so -leave white tracks on their march. Others, when they are frightened, -will put themselves into such queer postures: they will stretch -themselves out as stiff as a twig, holding on by one end only, and you -would think they were twigs; and these, when they walk, loop themselves -up. They don't crawl like other caterpillars, but have feet only at each -end, and so they loop up their bodies in the middle till they form the -letter omega, and then stretch out their heads again and bring up their -tails with another loop. And then there are cannibal caterpillars, which -eat other caterpillars. Look at these little spots of bright green. See, -if I make them fly, they are seen to be pretty little moths with green -wings. They are called the green oak-moth." - -"An oak-tree seems to be a regular city," said Frank. - -"Look at this marvellously beautiful fly, with lace-like wings," said -Jimmy. "What is that?" - -"That is a lace-wing fly," answered Dick. "Just put your nose as close -as you can to it and smell it." - -Jimmy did so, and said,-- - -"Why it is nearly as bad as a stink-horn fungus." - -No more ducks came back that day, but three more wood-pigeons fell -victims to their love of corn, and the boys descended, by and by, and -walked home. - -As they were sitting on a stile, Dick pointed to the carcase of a mole -which lay on the path, and to two little black beetles with yellow bands -on their wing-cases, which were crawling over it. - -"I think those are burying beetles. Let us watch them. They lay their -eggs in dead bodies of beasts or birds and then bury them, and the grub -of the beetle lives on the carcase in its babyhood." - -They lay down on the ground by the beetles, watching them. The process -of egg-laying by the female was just about being completed, and the two -soon buried themselves in the earth beneath the carcase, and presently -appeared at one side with a little mound of earth which they had -excavated from under it. This process was repeated again and again, and -very slowly the mole began to sink into the ground. The boys watched it -for nearly an hour, and in that time the mole was about half-buried. One -observer once kept four of these beetles in a place where he could -observe them, and supplied them with carcases of small animals and -birds, and in twelve days they had buried no less than fifty! - -[Illustration: LACE-WINGED FLY. (Manner of depositing Eggs.)] - -"Have you ever seen those huge stag-beetles with long horny mandibles -like stag's horns?" said Frank. - -"Yes," replied Dick, "I caught one yesterday, and looked up all about -it in my books. Its caterpillar takes four years to arrive at maturity, -and it burrows in the wood of oak and willow trees. I showed the beetle -I caught to our housekeeper, and she nearly went into hysterics over it. -I tried to make her take it into her hand, and she said she would not -have done so for 'worlds untold.'" - -[Illustration: STAG-HORNED PRIONUS AND DIAMOND BEETLE.] - -Frank stooped down to wash his hands in a small pool of water by the -road-side, and he cried-- - -"I say, do look here. Here is a living horsehair. Look at it swimming -about. It ties itself into ever so many knots in a minute, and unties -them again. Is it a hair-worm?" - -"Yes, I have no doubt it is," said Jimmy. "Do you know that I expect -that the common notion of eels being bred from horsehairs has arisen -from country people seeing these long worms, and thinking they were -horsehairs just come to life." - -The hair-worm in the first stage of its existence passes its life in the -body of some tiny animal or insect. Although it lives afterwards in the -water, yet it will, if put into a dry and hot place, dry up to nothing -as it were; and then after a long exposure to the heat, if it is put -into water again, it will swell out and resume its old proportions, and, -live seeming none the worse for being baked. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVIII. - - Purple Emperor.--His Taste for Carrion.--Wood-pecker.-- - Blue and Small Copper Butterflies.--Buff-tip Moth.-- - Moths at Ivy.--Strange-looking Caterpillars. - - -One hot August day Frank and his faithful follower Jimmy were strolling -arm-in-arm along the lanes to call for Dick. Presently they came upon -him engaged in no very pleasant occupation. Holding his nose with one -hand, with the other he was drawing along a dead dog by means of a long -bramble twisted round it. The dog was highly odoriferous, and Frank and -Jimmy kept at a distance while they asked him what he was doing that -for. - -"I saw a purple emperor butterfly flying round the top of one of the -oaks in the park. It is impossible to catch it with a net, but I have -read that these butterflies have a taste for carrion, and will come down -to it; so I just fished about until I found this dead dog, which I mean -to lay under the tree as a bait." - -"Are you sure it was a purple emperor? They are very rare here," said -Frank. - -"Oh yes, I saw the purple of its wings shining in the sun, and it was so -large, and it flew about the tops of the oaks, and then flew higher -still out of sight." - -The purple emperor is looked upon as the king of English butterflies. It -is a large insect, with wings of dark purple bordered with white, which -vary in colour like the material known as shot silk, and in the sunlight -gleam most beautifully. The males only have this splendid purple gloss -on their wings. The females, though larger in size, have wings of a -dull brown. The purple emperor takes its station at the top of the -tallest oak and rarely descends to earth. The female is more -stay-at-home than the male, and is very rarely caught. The insect would -be far oftener seen than caught if it were not for its habit of -alighting upon carrion, and collectors take advantage of this low taste, -and lie in wait for it, and catch it in the act. The caterpillar is a -plump creature, with a tail running to a point, and a pair of horns or -tentacles on its head. It is bright green in colour, striped with yellow -down each side, and it feeds upon the willow. In the south of England -this butterfly is not uncommon, but as you go north it becomes rarer. - -Frank and Jimmy accompanied Dick to the park where the oak-trees were, -keeping at a respectable distance to windward of him. The carcase was -deposited beneath the tree where Dick had seen the purple emperor, and -they sat down behind another tree to wait the course of events. Two -hours passed away without any sign of the butterfly, but time was no -object with the boys, who found it pleasant enough to lie on the cool -grass in the shadow of the oaks, and listen to the murmur of woodland -sounds. Squirrels and rabbits played about them, and birds fluttered in -the trees overhead. The cushat uttered her sleepy moan, and then woke up -and flew away on lazy wing to the corn-fields, whence came the sound of -the sharpening of scythes. The rattle of the woodpecker tapping the -hollow trees was the loudest sound which disturbed the silent, broiling -afternoon. The three friends were stretched on the ground talking -quietly, and half disposed to doze, every now and then casting glances -at the dead dog. Suddenly down a lane of sunlight there fluttered a -shimmering purple thing which settled on the carcase, and stayed there, -opening and shutting its wings, and sending scintillations of purple -light through the green shadows. - -"There it is!" said Dick excitedly, and he got hold of his net. - -"Don't be in a hurry, Dick; wait until it feels secure and gorges itself -a bit," said Frank. - -Dick listened to his sound counsel, and waited as patiently as he could -for a few minutes, and then he raised his net, and with a single leap -reached the spot where the carcase lay, and brought the net down over -dog and butterfly together. - -[Illustration: GREEN WOODPECKER.] - -"I have got it!" he exclaimed. - -"That's right; and you have got a lot of maggots in your net as well, -and stirred up the stench most tremendously. Make haste and kill the -butterfly and come away, or you will catch a fever," said Jimmy. - -[Illustration: BLUE BUTTERFLY.] - -The gorgeous insect having been secured in Dick's collecting box, they -went off in search of other prey. On a common just beside the wood they -found abundance of the beautiful blue butterflies, which shone like -flakes of summer sky, and also the small copper butterfly, which rivals -the most brightly burnished copper in its sheen. These were playing -about in the greatest abundance, the small coppers settling on a blue -flower, or a blue butterfly on a red flower, forming most artistic -contrasts of colour. - -[Illustration: THE HAUNT OF THE PURPLE EMPEROR.] - -From its throne on the top of a tall nettle, where it sat fanning the -air with its black, crimson-barred wings, Dick captured a magnificent -red admiral, and shortly after another of the same species. Gorgeous as -the upper surface of the wings of this butterfly is, the under side is -quite as beautiful in a quieter way, with its delicate tracery of brown -and grey. - -While Dick was setting the butterfly in his box, Frank leaned against -the trunk of an oak-tree, and as he did so he caught sight of a moth -which was resting upon it. It was a large thick-bodied moth, and Dick on -being appealed to said it must be a buff-tip moth, from the large -patches of pale buff colour at the ends of its wings. Frank said,-- - -"I should not have seen that moth if my face had not almost touched it. -Its colour suits the tree-trunk so admirably that it looks just like a -piece of the rough bark. I suppose it knows that, and rests on the -oak-tree for safety." - -"Yes," said Dick; "I have read that many moths and butterflies are so -like the substances on which they rest by day, that they can scarcely be -distinguished from them, and of course there must be a meaning in it. -The lappet-moth looks exactly like two or three oak-leaves stuck -together, and its wings are folded in a peculiar manner, so as to keep -up the delusion. There are caterpillars too which can stiffen themselves -and stand out on end, so as to look like sticks." - -"It is the same with birds'-eggs," said Frank. "Those which are laid on -the ground without any attempt at concealment are of such a colour that -you can hardly see them. For instance, take a partridge or pheasant. How -like their eggs are in colour to the dead leaves of the ditch where they -nest. The same with the lapwings, and all the plover tribe. Coots and -water-hens' eggs are so like their nests, that at a little distance you -cannot tell whether there are eggs in or not." - -"I wonder," said Dick, "if birds take any pleasure in the prettiness of -their eggs. If so (and I don't see why they shouldn't), there is a -reason why birds which build in bushes and branches of trees should have -pretty coloured eggs, as they have, and why birds which build in dark -holes should have white or light-coloured eggs, otherwise they would not -see them at all." - -"That is a very ingenious theory, Dick, and it may have something of -truth in it," answered Frank. - -That night was a still, warm night, and the moths were out in abundance. -As soon as it became dark they all went out with a dark lantern to hunt -them, and they were very successful. As they were returning home they -passed by an old wall covered with huge masses of ivy. Dick going close -to it said, - -"Do look here. There are hundreds of tiny sparkles. What can they be? -Why, they are the eyes of moths. The ivy is covered with the moths, -feeding on the flowers. Look how their eyes gleam." And truly it was a -marvellous sight. When they turned the light of their lantern on them -they saw that the moths were busy with a curious silent activity, flying -from flower to flower, sipping their sweets. - -"There are so many that I hardly know how to set about catching them," -said Dick. "Many of these must be rare and many common." - -"Sweep the face of the ivy all over with your net as rapidly as you can, -and keep them in your net until we get home, and then we can kill and -pick out all that you want," counselled Frank. - -Dick followed his advice, and with a dozen rapid sweeps of his net he -seemed to have filled it. Closing the net by turning the gauze over the -ring, they walked quickly back to the boat-house, and carefully closing -the door and window, they opened the net and let them all out into the -room, and then caught them singly. In a couple of hours they found that -they had secured about fifty specimens, comprising twenty different -species. - -During the summer a strange creature which fed on the potato plants had -much frightened the country people, who thought it a sign of a coming -plague. It was a large caterpillar, of a lemon-yellow colour, with seven -slanting violet stripes on each side and a horn on its tail. The people -in the neighbourhood of Hickling, knowing that Frank and his companions -were fond of collecting such things, brought some to them, and by this -means they became possessed of more than thirty specimens. They were the -larvæ of the death's-head moth, the largest of all our British moths. It -is remarkable not only for its size, but for two other things, each of -which is very curious. On its thorax it has a perfect delineation in -white of a skull, or death's head, with a pair of cross-bones below it. -In addition to this singular mark, it--and it alone of all our moths and -butterflies--has the power of making a squeaking noise, which it does -when it is touched or annoyed. How it makes this noise no one seems to -know. At least there are so many conflicting opinions that the matter -may be said to be still in doubt. - -The boys fed the larvæ on potato-leaves put in a box in which there was -placed about six inches of earth. When the larvæ had finished their -eating, they dived into this earth and turned into the pupæ state. In -the autumn the perfect moths came out, but only about half of the number -reached the final stage. The others died in the pupæ state. However, -Dick had plenty of specimens for his cabinet and for exchange. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIX. - - How to Attract Perch.--Perch-fishing.--Pike.--Good Sport.-- - Plaster Casts.--Model Eggs. - - -"I say," said Frank, "you remember when the minnows ran at the -caddis-worms in their transparent cases, but could not eat them?" - -"Yes." - -"And you know what shoals of perch there are about the broad, and how -difficult it is to drop upon them, because the water is so shallow and -clear?" - -"Yes." - -"Then what would you say to putting a quantity of minnows in glass -bottles, and sinking them in the broad, in a good place, for two or -three days? I think a lot of perch would collect together and prowl -about trying to get at them, and then we could go and catch any quantity -of them, live baiting with minnows." - -This project was agreed to unanimously, and after a day or two, the boys -were busily engaged in collecting wide glass bottles, or wide-mouthed -jars, and in fishing for minnows, of which they got a considerable -number by diverting the current of a brook, and baling the water out of -a pool in it. - -They had managed to obtain about a dozen large glass bottles or jars. -They filled these with water and put a number of minnows in each, and -then corked them up, making holes through the corks to admit fresh water -and air to the prisoners. These bottles and jars were conveyed to a spot -where perch were in the habit of congregating,--near an island of reeds, -where the water was about five feet deep, with a fine gravelly bottom -such as perch delight in. The large shoals of perch which roamed about -the broad were very often to be met with here, and it was a favourite -fishing place of the boys. - -One Friday night they took the yacht to this spot and moored her there -in a convenient position, sinking the bottles and jars from six to -twelve feet distance from her, so as just to be within easy reach of -their rods. Leaving the yacht there they rowed back in the punt. The -yacht was pleasanter to fish from than a small boat, and they took her -there overnight to avoid making a disturbance in the morning. - -On the Saturday morning they rowed to the spot in the punt, armed with -their rods and bait-cans filled with minnows. Getting quietly on board -the yacht, so as to avoid any concussion of the water, they peered into -the clear depths. Two of the jars were easily to be seen, and round each -of them was a circle of perch, or rather several circles, for next to -the jar were some very large ones with their noses placed against the -glass. Behind these large perch were others, in circles of gradually -lessening size, until they came to the very small ones, which were -there, not so much attracted by the minnows as hanging on of necessity -to the tails of their elders. - -The boys laughed quietly to each other at the success of their -experiment. They had certainly succeeded in drawing the fish together. - -Dick was the first ready. He had baited his hook with a live minnow, the -hook being run through the skin of its back near the back-fin. As the -minnow sank through the water, and before the float touched the surface, -there was a general rush of the perch up towards it. Dick pulled his -bait out of the way of some small ones which were rushing at it, and -then the largest of the shoal, a patriarch of about four pounds in -weight, came hurtling at it, dashing the others to right and left of -him. The poor minnow made a futile attempt to escape the wide open -jaws, but it was of no use, and they closed upon it and the hook -together. Dick struck and hooked the perch, which immediately made a -spirited rush straight away. On being hooked it had blown the minnow out -of its mouth, and it was eagerly snapped up by another perch. Dick's -perch fought very gamely, and Frank and Jimmy forbore to put their lines -in until it was secured, for fear of fouling. After a very sharp -struggle Dick drew the perch within reach of a landing-net, which Frank -slipped under it and lifted it out. It was a beauty, in splendid -condition, its black bars being strongly marked across its golden -scales. - -[Illustration: PERCH AND GUDGEON.] - -Frank and Jimmy now put their lines in, while Dick was rebaiting. In -less time than you can say "Jack Robinson" they each had a fish on, both -of them good ones. And now the sport was fast and furious. As fast as -they put in they had a bite, the perch even following their struggling -companions to the top of the water as they were being drawn out. The -very large ones soon grew wary, but the smaller ones, fellows of about -half to three-quarters of a pound, seemed not to have the slightest -shyness, and rushed to their fate with the greatest eagerness. The -floats lay for a very short time on the water before they went under -with that quick dash which characterizes a perch's bite. - -"Here's a gudgeon in the bait-can," said Jimmy. "I will put it on my -hook and try for a big one. It may be tempting." - -He did so and threw it in. Immediately the float went under water with -such swiftness that he knew he had hold of a big one and he struck, to -find his rod bending double and his line running rapidly off the reel -with the rush of a large fish. - -"You have got a big one," said Frank. "Let him have line." - -Jimmy did so, until the line was nearly off the reel, and then he was -compelled to give him the butt. The line stood the strain, and the fish -was turned and came back slowly and sullenly, while Jimmy wound in his -line. The fish allowed himself to be drawn up close to the yacht, and -they saw it was a large pike, and then it went off again. This time the -rush was not so long or strong, and after two or three rushes of -lessening power, the pike was drawn within reach. Frank unscrewed the -net and fixed the gaff-head on the stick, hooked Mr. Pike through, and -hauled him in. It weighed nine pounds. Jimmy was proud of having -conquered it with a light rod and line not very well adapted for -pike-fishing. - -[Illustration: PIKE.] - -Towards noon the wind began to rise, and as the clearness of the water -was then destroyed by the ripple, the big perch lost their caution in -consequence. The small ones now left off biting, possibly beginning to -see that it was not a profitable occupation. Presently the sport -altogether grew slack, and as it was then three o'clock, and the boys -had been too busy to eat anything, they left off for lunch. After lunch -Frank said,-- - -"I am sated with slaughter; and as there is such a nice breeze, let us -sail about the broad." - -"Frank would give up anything for sailing," said Dick laughing, as he -put away his tackle. - -I forget how many fish they really got that day, but I know that both -number and weight were very great indeed. - -They took up the jars and bottles the next morning when the water was -clear and still, and released the prisoners which had done them such -good service. - -It was worth while preserving a memento of a four-pound perch, and as it -was a pity to spoil it for eating by skinning, it was resolved to make a -plaster-cast of it, and this was done in the following manner:-- - -They bought some plaster-of-paris and mixed it with water until it -became a thin paste. This they poured into a box, and when it began to -set they laid the fish on its side in it, so that exactly one half of it -was covered by the plaster. The fish had first been well oiled, so that -the scales should not adhere to the mould. When the plaster was set and -hard the fish was taken carefully out. Several holes about an inch deep -were then bored in the plaster round the imprint of the fish. The -plaster-cast was then well oiled, the fish laid in it, and more plaster -poured in, until the fish was covered. When this in its turn had become -hard it was taken off, and both sides of the fish were now represented -in the mould. The holes which had been bored in the first mould, now had -corresponding projections in the second mould. This was to insure -accuracy of fit when the pieces were put together for the final cast. A -hole was then bored through one side of the mould. The interior of it -was well oiled, the pieces fitted together, and liquid plaster poured in -through the hole. In a couple of hours the moulds were separated, and a -perfect cast of the fish was the result. This Mary painted in -water-colour to imitate the natural fish, and the final result was very -creditable to all concerned. - -While upon the subject of plaster casts, I must mention an occupation -which the boys resorted to in the winter-time. Their collection of -birds' eggs was almost as perfect as they could hope to make it for many -years to come, but at Frank's suggestion they added to it, for -additional perfection, a representation of the egg of every British -bird. They made these eggs of plaster and coloured them very carefully, -and varnished them with white of egg. These artificial eggs could not -have been distinguished from real ones as they lay in the cabinet, but -each egg was marked with a label, signifying that it was only a model. I -recommend this plan to all students of ornithology. - - - - -CHAPTER XXX. - - Eel-fishing.--Setting the Nets.--Elvers.--The Merivale Float. - - -One autumn day, when the ground was red with fallen leaves and the -landscape was sodden with wet, the boys were busy in the boat-house with -some of their numerous occupations, when the conversation turned upon -eels and eel-fishing,--how that eels bred in the sea, and in the spring -myriads of tiny eels came up the rivers; when the river was wide, -ascending it in two columns, one by each bank, so thick together that -you might scoop them out in bucketfuls,--and how, when they met with any -obstruction, such as a weir or flood-gate, they will wriggle themselves -over it; and it often happens that where it is dry they stick fast to -it, and their companions make their way over them, and leave them to -perish. In the autumn, too, the eels migrate to the sea in vast numbers, -and are caught by means of nets placed across the river. Jimmy said,-- - -"I say, Frank, do you remember all those eel-nets we saw by Horning? -They will be in full work now. I vote we sail down next Friday night and -see them in operation." - -"Very well," said Frank, "I don't think we could do better. We will get -a half-holiday on Friday, so as to be there in good time." - -Friday was wet and stormy, and the boys consulted as to the advisability -of going. Frank said,-- - -"Let us go, as we have fixed to go. It may clear up, and if it does not, -it doesn't much matter. We are used to getting wet, and it won't hurt -us." - -The others agreed; so taking in all the reefs in their sails, they -started across the broad, while the wind howled, and the rain beat with -blinding force against their faces. The sky was murky with driving -masses of black cloud, and the lake was lashed into angry waves. - -"This is a nice sort of day for a pleasure excursion," said Dick, as he -placed his hat more firmly upon his head and turned his back to the -wind. - -"Yes," said Frank. "Do you go into the cabin. I can manage the tiller -and mizen, and Jimmy will take his turn at the main-sheet, and then you -can have a spell by and by." - -"Oh no, I am not going to shirk it," replied Dick. - -They struggled across the broad, and into the Hundred Stream, and before -very long they reached its junction with the Bure, and brought up under -the lee of a sort of rough cabin which was built there. There was a bare -spot among the reeds and there, upon a wooden framework, hung the -eel-nets, which two or three men were busy putting in order. When the -yacht was made snug, Frank went up to them and said,-- - -"We have come, hoping you will let us see how the eel-nets are worked; -but I am afraid we have chosen a very bad night." - -"No, you have come the very best night you could have picked, sir," -answered one of the men. "There is no moon, and the water is rising. The -eels always run more freely when the night is dark and stormy." - -"Oh, then we are in luck's way after all," said Frank to his companions. - -"We shall be setting the nets directly, sir, and you had better come -with us in your punt." - -"All right, we will." - -The eel-nets were like huge bags, large at one end, and narrowing -rapidly. The mesh at the large end was about two inches in diameter, but -it quickly lessened until it was so small that a minnow could not have -got through it. The mouth of the net was made sufficiently wide to -stretch across the river, and, in order to keep the body of it -distended, wooden hoops were placed at intervals down it. To each hoop -inside the net was attached an inner circle of net, which narrowed to a -small opening, like the principle on which some mouse-traps are -constructed, so that the eels having passed through the narrow inlet -could not find the way back again. The end portion of the net, -comprising the last four hoops, is made in a separate piece or pocket, -and is only fastened to the net when it is fishing. The juncture is -marked with a rope and buoy. - -The men now fastened a heavy chain along one half of the lower side of -the mouth of the net. This was the side which was to lie along the -bottom of the river, and the chain was to keep it down. The net was now -taken on board the boat, and the men rowed a little way down the river, -followed by the crew of the _Swan_. The net was put out so that the base -rested on the bottom. Heavy weights were fixed at the two bottom corners -of the net, and the two top corners were tied to posts fixed by the side -of the river. The men now sounded with a pole, to see that the chain lay -across along the bottom. While they did so the boat heeled over so much -that Dick said,-- - -"Another inch and the stream would be over the gunwale, and those -fellows would be pitched into the net and drowned." - -The net was now pulled out far down the river, and the pocket tied on, -and then it was left to itself. - -"Don't the wherries ever do any damage to the nets?" asked Jimmy. - -"Sometimes, sir; but they know where they are set, and they takes care -where they put their quants if they be quanting; and if they be sailing -they pass over the nets without doing them any harm." - -After this they set another net lower down, and then they returned to -the hut, and, sitting by the peat fire, they had some hot tea, and -waited for an hour, knowing that the eels were rushing down stream, and -into the nets. - -The wind howled dismally over the marshes, and the rain hissed on the -water. - -"It's lonesome work, sir," said one of the men to Frank, who had drawn -nearer the fire with a shudder. - -"Yes; does it pay?" - -"Pretty well at times, sir. This is what we should call a very fine -night for our work, as the eels run so much better than they do on a -calm night. It will make some pounds difference to us." - -"What do you do with the eels?" - -"Some we sells at Norwich and Yarmouth, but the most part goes to London -or Birmingham. The Black Country men are very fond of a nice rich eel; -but come, sir, it is time to take up the first net now." - -They went down the black river again, until they came to the buoy which -marked the pocket, or "cod," as it is technically termed, of the net. -This was hauled up and detached from the rest of the net. It was very -heavy and full of eels, which were wriggling about in a black slimy -mass. They put the mouth of the cod over a basket which was smaller at -the top than at the bottom, so that the eels could not crawl out, and -poured them into it. - -There were about thirty pounds weight of eels, the major part being -about a pound weight each, but some were two or three pounds in weight. -The cod was then tied on to the net again and lowered, and the next net -was visited in the same way, and found to contain about the same -quantity of eels. - -The nets were first laid about seven o'clock, and first taken up about -eight, and at intervals of an hour through the night the nets were -visited, and about the same quantity of eels taken from them each time. -This lasted up to half-past one o'clock, and then there was a great -falling off. - -"They have pretty well stopped coming down now, sir. We can leave the -nets and go and have some sleep. The nets will hold all the eels which -will get into them by the morning." - -"Did you ever meet with any accident while eel-fishing?" asked Dick. - -"I have only seen one, sir; but that was a bad one. It was the year -before last, and my mate had had a drop too much, and he overbalanced -himself and fell overboard into the net, and the stream carried him down -it before I could catch hold of him. There was no one to help me, and -before I could get the heavy net ashore he was dead. It was a fearful -thing, and I have thought of it many a time since. I used to be fond of -a glass myself at that time, but I have never touched a drop since." - -"Did you ever see the little eels coming up the river in the spring?" -asked Jimmy, to change the subject. - -"Oh, you mean the elvers. Ay, and more's the pity! the people catch tons -of them to feed the pigs with. If they would let them alone, they would -be worth a good many pounds to some one in the autumn," answered the -man. - -[Illustration: EELS.] - -"If the eels breed in the sea, Frank," said Dick, "what do the eels do -which cannot get to the sea,--those which live in ponds?" - -"Make the best of it, I suppose, like sensible beings," answered Frank. - -"Do you often have such a good night as this?" asked Jimmy. - -"No, not very often. You see, we want so many things together--wind, -rain, rising water, and no moon." - -After the morning dawned the nets were taken up for the day. Besides -eels they contained a quantity of miscellaneous matter, such as a dead -dog, sticks, weeds, old boots, a bottle or two, and various other refuse -which the stream had brought down. - -The eels had been put overnight in the well of the boat, and now the men -proceeded to sort them, separating the big ones (for which they received -a larger price) from the small ones. - -In order to do this they constantly dipped their hands in sand, for the -eels were slippery customers. - -The rain had ceased, but the day was dull and dreary, and the _Swan_ -sailed home early, her crew satisfied with the glimpse they had had of -how eels were caught for profit. - -In the afternoon they sailed about the broad in order to try a new float -which Frank had invented for pike-fishing. They had been accustomed to -trail their spinning baits after the yacht as they sailed about, but the -wake left by the yacht generally disturbed the fish, so that they had to -let out a very long line before they could catch anything, and the line -then became fouled in the weeds. Now Frank had invented a float which -did away with this drawback. You may have noticed how, when towing a -boat with the tow-rope fastened a few feet from the bows, she will sheer -out from you. It occurred to Frank to adapt the same principle to a -float, so he cut a piece of deal a quarter of an inch thick, eight -inches long, and four wide, pointed at both ends. To one side of this he -attached a keel four inches deep, leaded along the bottom. This side was -painted green, and the other white. To a point about one-third of the -way from one end of this float was attached a rough line. To the other -was fastened a shorter length of line with a spinning trace attached. -When this float was laid in the water with the keel side undermost, and -set in motion, it sheered out, and as the yacht sailed along and the -reel line was payed out, the float swam along in a parallel course with -the yacht, and as far out as they chose to let out line. It then passed -over undisturbed water, and a great change was soon observed in the -increased number of pike taken by the help of this float. They -christened it the "Merivale float," and they were so pleased with its -success as to have a dim idea of taking out a patent for it. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXI. - - Hawking. - - -The training of the hawks was a source of great amusement to the boys. -They obtained Stonehenge's _British Rural Sports_ from Sir Richard -Carleton's library, and studied the article on hawking. They found a -sparrow-hawk was called a short-winged hawk, because its wings do not -reach so far as the end of its tail, while a kestrel is a long-winged -hawk, its wings reaching as far as the end of its tail. As a general -rule, long-winged hawks are much better than short-winged ones for -hawking purposes, but the sparrow-hawk is braver and better than the -kestrel. Their hawks being from the nest, and not caught by a trap, were -_eyasses_. Before they could fly they were _branchers_, and being reared -at liberty they were _hack-hawks_. The training of a hawk is called its -_reclaiming_, Fig. 3 _a_ and _b_, when it sleeps it _jouks_, its prey is -its _quarry_, when it strikes it is said to _bind_. When it soars and -then descends upon its quarry it _swoops_, when it flies straight after -it it _rakes_. It is sent off by a _whistle_, and brought back by a -_lure_. - -These are only a few of the technical terms peculiar to hawking. - -The hood, Fig. 1 and 2, which one sees so conspicuously on the heads of -hawks in pictures of the sport in the olden time is not necessary in the -case of the short-winged hawks, and the great object was to make the -hawks as tame as possible. This the boys accomplished by continually -handling them and being with them, especially at feeding-time. Around -each foot of the bird they tied a soft strap of leather to correspond to -a _jesse_, Fig. 4 _a b_. To these were attached some little bells _e e_, -which they took off some children's toys. The jesses had also a loop -_b_, to which was fastened when required a _leash_, Fig. 5, or long -cord, which prevented the birds from flying away while training. They -had perches with cross-bars made for the hawks, and set up at one end of -the boat-house, and underneath it a tray containing a quantity of sand -and a bowl of water. In a couple of months the hawks were quite tame, -and then the boys proceeded to train them for sport. Every time they -were fed the meat was attached to a lure, Fig. 6, which was a lump of -cork with a bunch of cock's feathers attached to it. This was thrown up -into the air at gradually increasing distances, and at the same time one -of the boys, having the hawk ready perched on his wrist (which was -protected by strong gloves such as hedgers and ditchers use), let her -loose with a shrill whistle, and she was allowed to fly the length of -her leash and seize the lure and the food. In a remarkably short time -the birds would not only fly to the lure with alacrity, but wait until -the boys came up and took them away again. When they had attained this -pitch of perfection the rest was easy, and the leash was dispensed with. -Then a dead bird or rabbit was fixed to the lure, and at last, one fine -October day, it was resolved to try the hawks at real game. - -[Illustration: APPARATUS USED IN HAWKING.] - -"What shall we try them at first?" said Dick. - -"I was thinking that the best way would be to take the yacht and coast -about the reeds, and try them first at the water-hens and coots. I am so -afraid of someone shooting them if we take them into the meadows. If we -cannot manage them with the yacht on the water, we will take them on the -drained marshes," answered Frank. - -"I hope they will not disappoint us," said Jimmy, "for they have given -us a great deal of trouble to train." - -"They have had very little to eat this morning, so I think they will fly -at anything we show them, but it will be a sell if we lose them the very -first try." - -There was just a light breeze on the broad, which enabled them to sail -quietly about. Frank took the helm, for sailing was to him the greatest -of all enjoyments, and Dick and Jimmy stood in the bows, Dick with a -hawk on his wrist, ready to be flown as soon as they caught sight of -anything worth flying at. Frank steered the _Swan_ so that she just -brushed along the reeds, which were brown and dry, and had thinned fast -under the keen October breezes. - -"There is a water-hen in the reeds, just before us," said Jimmy. "Drive -the yacht a little further in." - -Frank did so, and the water-hen flew out over the broad, her legs -dipping in the water. - -"Let her have a little law," cried Frank. "Now then!" - -With a loud whistle Dick let the hawk slip. She rose rapidly in the air, -over the water-hen, and then swooped. The water-hen instantly dived. The -disappointed hawk curved up again, just touching the surface of the -water with her breast. She rose about twenty feet in the air and swooped -around in small circles, her head turning this side and that, watching -for her quarry. The course of the water-hen under water was marked by a -line of bubbles, and Frank kept close behind her, letting the wind out -of his sails in order not to overtake her and so cause her to double -back. Soon she rose again to the surface, but ere the hawk, quick as she -was, could reach her, she had dived again. In this manner, the water-hen -rising to the surface to breathe and the hawk swooping unsuccessfully, -they ran across the broad to a reed-bed, where the pursued bird remained -under water so long that they knew she was holding on to the weed by her -claws, with only her beak above water, as is the habit of these birds. -After a little searching about they saw her yellow beak protruding above -a mass of weeds. Seeing that she was discovered, she flew up uttering a -despairing croak. Down came the sparrow-hawk with lightning swiftness, -and struck her in the air, and they both fell into the reeds. The boys -forced their way to them and the hawk allowed Dick to approach and take -her in his hand. He cut off the head of the water-hen, and gave it to -her to eat in the cabin, while they brought the other hawk for the next -flight. - -"Well," said Frank, "that was as successful a flight as we could desire. -There goes a water-rail. Let the hawk go." - -With a sharp scream the hawk dashed off in pursuit of it, and without -troubling itself to soar, it struck the water-rail, and, bearing it away -in its talons, it flew off to a dyke where a wherry was moored, her crew -having gone ashore, and perched on the top of the mast, where it began -to pick at and tear the bird. - -"What's to be done now?" said Jimmy. - -"We must try the lure," answered Frank, and taking it up he whistled and -threw it in the air. The hawk dropped the water-rail and flew down to -the lure and suffered herself to be taken. As a reward, she was allowed -to have its head, and the other hawk was again taken out. - -"There is a coot swimming along yonder. Let her fly at it," cried Jimmy. - -As the hawk launched into the air, however, a sandpiper flew out from -among the reeds, and the hawk instantly followed it. It was a very -pretty sight to see the twistings and turnings of the two birds as they -dashed across the broad with equal speed. Frank took a pull at the sheet -so as to catch the wind, and followed them as fast as he could. The hawk -had risen above the sandpiper, and was about to swoop down upon it, when -the latter, to the surprise of the boys, dashed into the water and -dived. - -"Only fancy a bird with no webs to its feet diving," said Frank. - -The sandpiper remained under water some time, and when it arose, which -it did with great apparent ease, the sail of the yacht hid it from the -hawk's sight, and it flew away unmolested. As they sailed along on the -look-out for other prey, the hawk hung in the air above them, and -followed, or, as it is technically called, "waited on," them in the most -beautiful manner. - -The birds on the broad now seemed to be aware that a hawk was about, and -kept close to the shelter of the reeds, so that the broad seemed quite -deserted. At last, however, a coot swam out, and the hawk made a feint -at it but did not strike it, and the coot swam coolly away. - -"Why the hawk is a coward," said Jimmy. - -"No, she is only cautious. You see, if she were to strike it on the -water it would dive, and as it is a strong bird it would carry her -under. That is the difficulty we shall meet with if we hawk on the -water," said Frank, "and if we go on the land someone is sure to shoot -the hawks." - -They called the hawk in by means of the lure, and sailed up a dyke, -meaning to land and try the marshes and the low drained ground in their -vicinity. They landed, and, Dick taking one hawk and Frank the other, -they proceeded along a narrow drain in the hope of flushing some more -water-hens. - -"Quick," cried Frank, "and crouch down behind these reeds. I can see a -couple of wild-ducks coming towards us." - -They threw themselves on the ground, and soon the whirring of wings in -the air told them that the ducks were coming straight towards them. On -they came, within ten feet of the ground, and when they perceived the -boys they turned off at a tangent with a loud quack. Both hawks were let -go, and rising well in the air, one of them made a swoop on the hindmost -duck and struck it, but did not lay hold. The duck swerved under the -blow, but held on its course. Then while the one hawk mounted, the -other, in its turn, swooped and struck the duck, so that it fell nearly -to the ground. The boys ran along after the hawks and their quarry, and -shouted to encourage the former. Then both hawks made a simultaneous -swoop, and struck the duck to the ground. - -As the hawks were taken from the duck, they showed some impatience and -signs of anger, so Frank said,-- - -"I say, they have done enough for to-day. We had better feed them, and -tie them up." - -They accordingly gave them the head of the duck and the entrails of all -the birds they had killed, and put them in the cabin, and then commenced -to fish for pike. In the course of the day they caught seven, none of -them over six pounds in weight; and then, when the western sky was -agleam with the pink and green of sunset, they ran the yacht into the -reeds while they put up their tackle. The wind had fallen to the -faintest of zephyrs, which was only indicated by sudden shoots of light -across the broad. The air was still, with a mellow October stillness, -and flocks of starlings were wheeling in the air with unbroken -regularity of rank and file, now on edge and nearly invisible; and then -broadside on, and seeming as if suddenly nearer; and then settling in -the reeds, where during the night they roost in vast numbers. - -The boys stood there talking until the gloaming was spreading rapidly -over the broad, and then they made preparations for going. - -They had not secured the hawks, and the cabin-door had swung open. - -"There goes one of our hawks," cried Jimmy, as it floated out with a -triumphant scream over the marsh. - -"Quick! get out the lure!" said Frank. - -But the lure was not needed. A twittering commenced among the reeds, and -grew louder and more clamorous; and soon, with a noise like thunder, a -crowd of starlings rose from their resting-places, and after a -preliminary circle in the air they closed upon the hawk and began to mob -her, screaming the while most vociferously. The hawk struck three of -them down in succession, but her assailants were too many for her, and -she turned tail and flew back to the yacht, where she allowed Frank to -capture her, while the starlings whirled away and settled in the reeds -once more. - -As they sailed back, Frank said,-- - -"Now that our hawks are trained so beautifully we shall have good sport -with them." - -But he was doomed to be disappointed. Two days after they took them into -the open country, and a rabbit darting out of a tuft of grass, they flew -one of the hawks at it. It struck the rabbit, and clung to it while it -ran into its burrow, and the noble bird was killed by the shock. The -boys were very much grieved at this, and resolved not to fly the other -hawk at four-footed game. While they were crossing Sir Richard -Carleton's land they flushed a solitary partridge, which appeared to -have been wounded, and flew slowly. It had doubtless been left behind by -its more active companions. They let the hawk fly, and it followed the -partridge around the corner of a plantation. The report of a gun -followed, and, running up, they found their worst apprehensions -realized. The hawk had been shot dead by one of two gentlemen, who, with -a couple of dogs, were out shooting. They were guests of Sir Richard's, -and when they found the hawk was a tame one they were very profuse in -their apologies. The boys did not care to make very civil replies, but -walked quietly and sadly away. - -Their cup of bitterness was for the time full. - -"So ends our hawking," said Frank as they separated. - -"Yes; this is the unluckiest day we have had yet," answered Jimmy. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXII. - - Heron-hawking.--Great Bustard.--Stock-dove in Rabbit-hole.-- - "Dowe" Dogs.--Search for Bustards' Eggs. - - -The boys were to see a little more hawking. One of the gentlemen who -shot their hawk was kind enough to give them an invitation to spend a -few days at his house near Thetford, with the promise that he would show -them some hawking carried on in the good old fashion, and with splendid -hawks brought from Iceland. A neighbour of his cultivated hawking, and -spared no expense in the noble pastime. - -The boys debated some time whether they should accept this invitation or -not. Frank was still sore about the loss of his hawks, and hardly cared -to see others more successful than himself, but Dick said,-- - -"Don't be selfish, Frank. When you see the sport you will forget all -about our loss; and besides, the invitation is meant kindly, and we -ought not to refuse it out of pique." - -Frank saw the wisdom of this, and so one fine November day they found -themselves in company with their host, walking across the immense tract -of common, or warren, which lies between Thetford and Brandon. They were -on their way to "the meet." On a knoll where a single fir-tree raised -its red stem in the wintry sunlight were assembled a number of ladies -and gentlemen, some on horseback, and some on foot. Two men came up -bearing square frames, on which were the hawks, large falcons, which had -been brought at great expense from Holland and Iceland. They were -hooded, and the hoods were gaily decorated with tassels and feathers. - -"What are they going to fly the hawks at?" asked Dick. "They won't waste -the energy of such magnificent birds as those on rabbits and plovers, -and I see nothing else about." - -"They expect some herons will pass over on their way from their -feeding-grounds to the heronry," said Frank. - -[Illustration: COMMON HERON.] - -Presently the company moved forwards, as a speck on the distant horizon -told of the probable approach of their quarry. As it came nearer it -proved to be a heron, and its flight was directed straight towards them, -and at no great distance from the ground. When the advancing bird came -within one hundred yards of the group, it seemed to think there might be -some danger awaiting it, and it swerved aside continuing its course so -as to pass them on one side. Two of the hawks were unhooded, and the -noble birds, catching sight of their quarry, launched into the air in -pursuit of it. When the heron saw the hawks it uttered a cry, and -immediately rose in the air and soared to a great height. The meaning of -this was apparent when the hawks, instead of attacking it on a level -with themselves, circled up with great swiftness, and tried to rise -above the heron, so that they might swoop down upon it. The heron rose -with outstretched neck, and wings which moved with great swiftness, in -spite of their size; but the hawks still soared and soared in wide -circles, and the party below rode and ran keeping as nearly as possible -under the birds. The hawks had now risen above the heron, but still they -went on circling higher and higher, until they were mere specks in the -sky. Then they suddenly grew large as they swooped down, and the heron -gave another cry, and half turned on his back as they struck him almost -simultaneously, and hawks and heron fluttered down a struggling mass to -the ground. The hawks were taken off and hooded, and after a short -interval another heron came in sight, and the other two hawks were flown -at it. - -When the sport was over, Frank got hold of one of the warreners who had -come to see it and asked him if he had ever seen any great bustards -about the warren, or the adjacent fens. - -"Oh, ay, sir, when I was a lad many and many a one have I seen, but now -I have not seen one for more than three years. They be almost killed out -of the land now. One is to be seen every two or three years, but it is -always shot or trapped." - -"What sort of a bird is a great bustard?" asked Dick. - -"It is a game bird as large as a full-sized turkey, and far better -eating. There used to be droves of them on the fens and the warrens, but -they were shot and trapped right and left. I mind when I was a boy I -have seen as many as twenty together on a warren, and then the warreners -used to set a battery of guns, and have a long string fastened to all -the triggers. Maybe the string was half a mile long, and then the men at -work on the warrens, or the marshes, had orders to pull the string when -they saw the bustards within reach of the guns. They used to stalk them -by walking on the off-side of a horse, and, keeping it between them and -the bustards, walk round and round until they came within shot." - -The warrener was a very intelligent man, and he told them much about the -habits of this noble bird, which is now nearly extinct in England. - -"Have you ever found its nest?" asked Jimmy. - -"Yes, when I was a lad I found two or three. The eggs were good eating, -so we took them, and as they were big eggs and laid on the ground, it -was easy enough to find their nests if you knew where to look." - -"I suppose you haven't got any of their eggs now?" said Frank. - -"No, sir, I haven't; but I have a notion that two or three years ago I -saw two or three of their eggs in a cottage somewhere over yonder." - -[Illustration: GREAT BUSTARD.] - -He pointed to the western sky, but to the boys' eyes no cottages were -visible; and upon their asking him for further information, he told them -that beyond a ridge of trees which crested a warren were some half-dozen -cottages, and he thought it was in one of those that he had seen -bustards' eggs, but he was not at all sure. - -"What is the meaning of this?" asked Dick, pointing to the mouth of a -rabbit-hole which was barred in with sticks like a cage. Inside the -sticks were the feathers and part of the skeleton of a stock-dove. - -The warrener replied,-- - -"The doves breed in the rabbit-holes, and we warreners keep a 'dowe' -dog, which will tell us at once what holes have nests in them; and then, -when the young ones are almost ready to fly, we fasten them in the -burrow with sticks, just like that, and the old ones feed the young ones -through the bars, and when the young ones are fit to eat we kill them. I -suppose the man who fastened that burrow in forgot where it was, or the -young one died before it was worth eating." - -[Illustration: DOVES.] - -The boys now had to go back with their host, who, by the way, made them -so comfortable that they forgave him for shooting their hawk. - -The next day found the boys approaching the cottages where the warrener -told them the bustards' eggs might be found. - -"Now," said Frank, as they stopped under the lee of the wood, "let us -have a consultation. How had we better go to work? If we show them that -we have come specially for the eggs they will ask too great a price for -them. I vote we go and ask for a drink of water, and then praise the -children, if any, and so get into conversation; and then ask in an -incidental way about the bustards." - -This seemed the proper way of going to work, so they appointed Frank -spokesman, and then marched up to the nearest cottage. A woman opened -the door to them, and peeping in, they saw behind her half-a-dozen -children, all young. - -"Can you give us a drink of water, ma'am?" said Frank, in his politest -tone. - -"Oh yes, sir," answered the woman with a curtsey. "Won't you step -indoors. But wouldn't you like a cup of milk better than water?" - -"Thank you, very much," replied Frank. "But what nice little children -you have got," and he patted one on the head. - -"Lovely," said Jimmy enthusiastically, and picking out the cleanest he -kissed it. - -"Well, sir," answered the woman with a smile, "they be as healthy as -most, and as fine I dare say, but they are a great deal of trouble." - -"Ah, I have no doubt they are," replied Frank sympathizingly; and as he -spoke his eyes were wandering about, looking at the ornaments on the -chimney-piece to see if any eggs were there; but nothing of the kind was -to be seen. - -"This is a fine open country, ma'am." - -"It is that, sir," she said. - -"And plenty of rabbits and plovers about." - -"There are that, sir." - -"Have you ever seen any bustards about?" - -"No, I have heard tell of them, but it was before my time." - -"And I suppose you have never seen any nests or eggs?" - -"No, sir, never; but my little boy has some throstle's eggs, if so be as -you would like to have them." - -"No, thank you," said Frank; and thanking her for the milk, and -bestowing a small coin on one of the children, the boys made their exit. - -"It is your turn to do the next kissing, Dick," said Jimmy. - -"All right," replied Dick cheerfully. - -The cottages lay at some little distance apart, and they visited them -all in turn, but with the like ill success. Then, as they were thinking -of giving it up as a bad job, they espied another small cottage in a -little hollow, by a well. - -"Let us try this, for the last one," said Frank. - -"Very well," said Jimmy "but pray, don't ask for any more to drink. I -have the best intentions in the world, but I really cannot find room for -any more." - -Beside the cottage was a silvery-haired old man, mending a broken -paling. Frank went straight at it this time. - -"Good morning." - -"Good morning, sir," replied the man, touching his hat. - -"Have you ever seen any bustards' eggs?" - -"Yes, sir, I have two in the house. Would you like to see them?" - -"We should." - -"Then step in, sirs. I can give 'ee a glass of good nettle beer." - -Jimmy groaned inwardly at the mention of the beer, but the sight of the -eggs upheld him. - -"Here they be, sir," said the old man, taking down two brown eggs with -rusty spots on them, off the chimney-piece. "I took them myself out of -the nest in yon fen when I was a lad." - -"Will you sell them?" - -"Ay, sure. It be a wonder how they come not to be broken, for I have -taken no particular heed of them." - -"What will you take for them?" - -"What you likes to give, sir." - -"I would rather you would fix your own price." - -"Well, then, if you give me a shilling, I shall be fain." - -"No, no, they are worth more than a shilling. We cannot afford to give -you what you would get in London for them, and it is only fair to tell -you so, but we will give you half-a-crown apiece for them." - -"I shall be very glad to have that much for them, sir, if you think they -are worth it to you." - -So the bargain was concluded, and the boys became the happy possessors -of these rare eggs. - -I have just been reading, in the _Field_ a very interesting account of -the appearance of a great bustard in Norfolk. A gentleman there was told -by one of his men that he had seen a "wonderful cur'us bird like a -pelican," in a wild part of the fen. The gentleman at once went to look -at it, and being a naturalist, he was much delighted to find that it was -a bustard, and observation through a telescope told him that it was a -cock bird. He gave strict orders that it was not to be shot, and that -any prowling gunner found on his land was to be consigned without -ceremony to the bottom of the nearest dyke. Then he sent for well-known -naturalists from Cambridge and elsewhere, to come and watch the motions -of the bird. It was feeding in a lonely part of the fen, in a patch of -cole seed, and, each man being armed with a telescope of some sort or -other, they had good views of it, both flying and walking. The news soon -spread among the naturalists of the county, and one of them, who had -some tame bustards in confinement, generously offered to give one of -them to be let loose to pair with the wild cock. A female bustard was -accordingly turned out into the fen as near to the wild bird as they -dared to venture without frightening him away, and after a short time, -they had the pleasure of seeing the two walking about together. In a day -or two more the hen was found dead in a dyke. Her wings having been -clipped she could not fly far enough. Another female was procured, but -while seeking for an opportunity of turning it out where the wild one -could see it, the wild one flew away. It was heard of afterwards in a -different part of the county, and it does not appear yet to have been -killed, and the landowners have given orders that it shall not be -destroyed. I am looking forward with interest for further accounts of -it. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXIII. - - Water-hen Swallowed by Pike.--Casting Net.-- - Trapping Water-hen for Bait.--A Monster Pike. - - -Frank and Jimmy were punting through one of the reedy pools adjoining -the broad, shooting wild-fowl, and had not been very successful, so they -were disposed to shoot coots and water-hens, as well as ducks. They saw -a water-hen swimming across a small pool into which they had just pushed -their way, and Jimmy raised his gun to fire at it, but before he could -pull the trigger there was an immense splash and swirl in the water, and -the water-hen disappeared down the jaws of an immense pike. The boys -stared in amazement. - -"That fellow must have been forty pounds in weight at the least," said -Frank, as soon as he had recovered himself. - -"Let us row home at once and get our tackle, and fish for him." - -They rowed quickly back, and upon reaching the boat-house they found -that Dick was there, and had just put the finishing touch to a casting -net which they had been occupied in making for some time. - -"Bravo! that is capital!" said Frank. "We can now catch some bait with -it." - -Before casting the net into the water they practised some time with it, -for it is very difficult to throw a casting-net properly. After a little -practice the boys were able to throw the net so that it described -something like a circle on the ground, and then they took it to the -shallow parts of the broad, and in a dozen throws they obtained a -quantity of small roach and bream, as well as some large ones. Putting -some of the roach into a bait-can, they rowed to the pool where the big -pike lay, and first of all tried him with a live bait. But the float was -undisturbed, save by the movements of the bait. Then they tried trolling -with a dead gorge-bait, then spinning, and then a spoon, but with the -like ill success. - -"I tell you what," said Frank, at length, "a big fish like that requires -something out of the common to induce him to bite. Let us put a big -bream on, and try and tempt him by size." So they put a bream a pound and -a half in weight on the gorge-hook, and worked the heavy bait up and -down every part of the pool, but still without success, and the autumn -night came on and put a stop to their fishing. - -"We must catch him somehow," said Frank. - -"Let us set trimmers for him," suggested Jimmy in despair. - -"No, no; we will catch him by fair means if we can." - -The big pike, the biggest which they had ever seen, occupied their -thoughts all that evening. As Frank was dressing the next morning a -happy thought occurred to him, and when he met his friends after -breakfast he said,-- - -"I have got an idea how we may catch that pike. You remember how he took -the water-hen under? He decidedly prefers flesh to fish. What do you say -to catching a water-hen and baiting our hook with it?" - -"The very thing," said Jimmy. - -"But how are we to catch the water-hen?" asked Dick. - -"I don't quite know. We must get it alive, you see." - -They talked it over, but could not hit upon any plan of capturing one -alive, so at luncheon-time they went to Bell, and asked him if he could -help them. - -"Well, sirs, the water-hens come to my back garden to feed with the hens -and sparrows. If you could lay some sort of a trap for them like a -riddle-trap for sparrows it would be an easy matter to entice one into -it." - -"The very thing," said Jimmy. "We will put the casting-net round a -wooden hoop and prop it up on a stick, and put bread-crumbs under it." - -So the casting-net was called into requisition, and a trap was -constructed, and set in Bell's back yard, which was close to a dyke -leading to the broad. The boys hid themselves in an outhouse, having a -long string fastened to the stick which supported the net at an angle of -forty degrees. First the hens came under it and then the sparrows, and -the two began to eat up all the bread put there. At last a water-hen was -seen swimming across the dyke, and with slow and cautious steps creeping -up the bank towards the net. Frank took the end of the string in his -hand, and peeped cautiously through a chink in the door while the -others looked through a little window. The water-hen fed for some time -on the outskirts of the throng of hens and sparrows, and at last -ventured within the circle of the net. - -"Now," said Dick. - -"No, wait until it is further under," said Jimmy. - -Frank waited until the bird was fairly under the net, and then pulled -the string. The trap descended upon three hens, half-a-dozen sparrows, -and the water-hen. - -"Hurrah!" cried the boys, rushing out. It was a matter of some -difficulty to secure the bird they wanted from among the struggling mass -of hens and sparrows, but they did so at last without hurting any of the -others, and at once pinioned it by cutting off its wing feathers. - -The next morning as soon as it was light they rowed to the place where -the big pike lay. Everything was very still and quiet, and shrouded in a -light grey mist, as they pushed their way along a narrow channel to the -pool. They had brought with them their strongest rod and their stoutest -line, and they carefully tried every knot and fastening of their tackle -before commencing to fish. The next most important thing was to bait the -water-hen or arm her with hooks properly. This was done by tying a -number of hooks lightly to her with thread, and ruffling the feathers so -as to conceal them. - -"Poor thing," said Dick, as Frank took up the rod and swung her into the -pool. - -By keeping a slight pull on the line the bird was induced to turn in the -opposite direction, and to swim towards the middle of the pool. - -"Another minute or two will show if our plan is successful," said Frank, -"and if not, the bird shall be let loose." - -"I don't feel much faith in it now," said Jimmy. - -When the bird reached the centre of the pool she dived. - -"Oh dear, I did not expect that," said Frank. "What shall we do now?" - -"She must come up again presently. The pool is twelve feet deep, and she -cannot cling to the bottom." - -"I felt her give such a pull just now. She is struggling hard to -escape," said Frank, who was still letting out line. - -Two or three minutes passed away, and still the bird did not make her -appearance. - -"Pull in the line a bit, Frank." - -Frank did so, and said,-- - -"She must be clinging to the bottom. I cannot move her," and he pulled a -little harder. - -"I say," he cried, "I felt such a sharp tug. I do believe the big pike -has got hold of her." - -"Nonsense!" said the others. - -"But it isn't nonsense," said Frank, and he held the rod bent so that -they could see the top twitching violently. - -"It is the pike!" Frank exclaimed excitedly, and he immediately let the -line run loose, so that the pike might have room to gorge his prey. - -"He must have seized the water-hen as she dived," said Dick. - -"Yes, and won't we give him plenty of time to gorge. I don't want to -miss him now we have got such a chance," said Frank. - -And in spite of their impatience they gave the pike half-an-hour to -swallow the bird, and then, at the end of that time, there were sundry -twitchings of the point of the rod, and the line was taken out by jerks -of a foot or two at a time. - -"He is moving about," said Jimmy. "It is time to strike." - -Frank raised his rod amid a hush of expectation. As the line tightened -he struck lightly, and immediately the rod bent double with a mighty -rush from the pike as he went straight across the little pool, which was -about thirty yards in diameter. After this first rush the pike began to -swim slowly about, keeping deep down and never showing himself. Round -and round and across the pool he swam, now resting for a few minutes -like a log, and from a twitching of the line apparently giving angry -shakes of his head. Frank kept a steady, even strain upon him, and as -the space was so circumscribed there was no danger of a breakage by any -sudden rush. - -This sort of thing went on for half-an-hour, the line slowly cutting -through the still, dark water; and Jimmy and Dick urged Frank to pull -harder, and make the fish show himself. But Frank was too wise to give -way, and he still kept on in a steady, cautious fashion. - -"If we go on much longer we shall be late for Mr. Meredith," said Dick. - -"Never mind," replied Frank, "he will forgive us on such an occasion as -this." - -"Here he comes," shouted Frank, as he wound in his line. The pike came -rolling up to the surface a few yards from the boat, and they caught -sight of him. His proportions were gigantic, and his fierce eyes glared -savagely at them. He gave a flounder on the top of the water, then sank -down again into the depths. - -"What a monster!" - -In a few minutes the pike came up again, and this time more on his side, -and plainly much exhausted. Three times more did he thus rise and sink -again, and each time he seemed more helpless. The fourth time he -remained on the surface lying on his side. Dick got hold of the gaff and -held it in the water with outstretched arm, while Frank slowly drew the -conquered giant towards it. Dick put the gaff under him and sharply -drove it into his side, and then Jimmy and he uniting their forces, -hauled the pike into the punt, almost upsetting it in their eagerness, -and then threw themselves on the fish to prevent it flopping out again. - -They rowed home in great triumph, and on weighing the pike it was found -to be 34Œ lbs. in weight, and the largest which had been caught in -Hickling Broad for many years. The time it took to land it from the time -it was struck was fifty-five minutes. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXIV. - - Fishing on Stilts.--A Capsize.--Wild-fowl-Shooting.-- - A Flare-up. - - -December was ushered in with a week of storm and wet, and as the boys -were shut out from outdoor pursuits they had more leisure for indoor -studies; and one day a bright idea occurred to Jimmy, by the carrying -out of which he said he could fish the broad without the trouble of -rowing a boat. So on a Saturday afternoon, when the clouds had broken, -and the rain ceased, and the still water reflected the pale blue of the -December sky, Frank and Dick sat at the boat-house window watching Jimmy -put his plan into execution. - -He had turned a couple of leaping-poles into stilts. His feet rested -upon foot-rests, but were not fastened to them, so that if he fell into -the water his feet would be free and he could keep himself right-end -uppermost; but the crutches of the stilts which came up under his arms -were lightly tied around his shoulders, to leave his arms at liberty to -use a rod. And now, having been fairly started by the aid of his -friends, he was stalking along like a huge heron in about five feet of -water, and was spinning for pike, casting his bait to right and left of -him and oftentimes behind him,--for his movements were rather uncertain -and erratic; and as making a cast disturbed his equilibrium, he was -obliged to execute a sort of waltz-step to recover himself. Frank and -Dick were in ecstasies of laughter at his involuntary antics. - -"He will never catch any fish in that way," observed Dick. - -In a little while, however, they saw his rod bend double, and it was -evident that a good-sized pike had seized his bait. Then Jimmy made a -stumble, and a violent effort to recover himself, and in so doing turned -his back to the pike, which resented the insult by making a savage rush, -pulling Jimmy backwards. - -There was a violent sort of war-dance on Jimmy's part, during which one -of the stilts seemed to be pointing upwards, and then Jimmy, with a last -wild flourish of a stilt in the air, descended from his lofty height and -disappeared beneath the waters of the broad. - -Frank and Dick hastened, as fast as their laughter would allow them, to -the punt, and rowed to meet Jimmy, who was half wading half swimming -towards them, the two long stilts trailing behind him from his -shoulders, and his rod following Mr. Pike on a different course. - -"Swim after your rod, Jimmy," cried Frank. - -"Whoo, hoo! it is so cold," spluttered Jimmy. - -He scrambled into the punt, and, just staying to recover the rod, and -with it a pike of about six pounds in weight, they rowed back, and Jimmy -ran home to change. - -Frank afterwards said to Jimmy,-- - -"That stilt dodge of yours is a capital idea. You see you caught a pike -directly with it. Won't you try it again?" - -"No, thank you," said Jimmy, "once ducked, twice shy." - -After a few days' fine weather a hard frost and deep snow set in. A -stiff breeze prevented the broad from being frozen over, and swept the -snow into drifts wherever there was anything to arrest its progress. -When the snow had ceased, the wind and frost still continued, and -wild-fowl in large numbers visited the broad. Dick did not care -sufficiently about the shooting to make him willing to face the cold; -but Jimmy and Frank had capital sport among the wild-ducks. They killed -the greatest number when the ducks took their morning or evening flight -across a reedy spit of land which ran out into the broad. Here the boys -had sunk a large cask in the earth, and when they were both hidden in -this, packed in with dry straw and a retriever with them, they were warm -and comfortable. The whistle of wings cleaving the air, or a cry of -wild-fowl in the starlit silence of the night, would arouse them, and, -with their heads peering over the top of the cask, they had their guns -in readiness to salute the dark objects passing over with a shower of -shot. - -In the morning the retriever searched for and picked up the dead birds, -and the young gunners finished off the wounded. For four successive -nights they enjoyed good sport in this manner, and then it was put an -end to by a singular accident. Frank lit a match to see what time it -was, and a lighted splinter fell among the dry straw, which instantly -blazed up. - -"Look out for the powder!" shouted Frank; and he and Jimmy and the dog -scrambled out of the cask pell-mell, tumbling over each other in their -eagerness to be away from the dangerous proximity of the fire. Frank had -the powder-flask in his pocket, and fortunately no fire came near it. -The boys too escaped without injury, except that their hair was pretty -well singed by the rapid rise of the flame. The retriever was so -frightened that he turned tail and bolted, never stopping until he -reached his kennel. - -"This is a pretty go," exclaimed Jimmy, as with their guns under their -arms they watched the tall, roaring column of flame and smoke which -ascended from the burning tub. - -"The people all about will wonder what it is. What a pity we have -nothing to hold water in, so that we could try and put it out! The tub -has caught, and will be burnt up." - -The sound of oars was now audible across the water, and presently Dick's -voice shouted,-- - -"What's the matter? Are you all right?" and a boat was run ashore, and -Dick and Mary, well wrapped up, stepped out. - -Dick had been spending the evening at Mr. Merivale's, and just as he was -leaving the house, the bright tongue of flame on the opposite side of -the broad alarmed him, and Mary insisted upon coming with him to see -what mischief her brother had been perpetrating. - -They rowed back, followed by the fitful glare of the fire, which shone -in their eddying wake, amid the clamour of wild-fowl startled into -flight by the unusual apparition. Then as Mary was silently admiring the -strange weird scene, there was a blinding flash, followed by two loud -reports, which made her start and scream, and then two splashes in the -water, as two ducks out of a number which had been passing over the -boats fell to the aim of Frank and Jimmy. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXV. - - Punt-shooting on Breydon.--A Narrow Escape. - - -The Christmas holidays had commenced for the boys. Frank had a -consultation with Bell, which ended in Bell's borrowing a duck-shooting -punt from a neighbour, and Dick's looking up the big duck-gun from his -father's lumber-room. The punt was a flat-bottomed one, pointed at both -ends and covered fore and aft, so as to form two watertight -compartments. In the bows was a rest for the gun to lie upon. As the gun -took a pound of shot at a load, Frank was rather nervous about firing it -off, for the recoil, if not broken by mechanical appliances, would have -dislocated his shoulder. So he bought some india-rubber door-springs, -and with them constructed an apparatus to take off the recoil of the -gun, and, lest it should by any chance hit his shoulder, he got Mary to -make a stout cushion, which he fixed to the butt. - -Reports came that Breydon Water was swarming with wild-fowl, so, taking -Bell with them as a guide and instructor, and with the shooting-punt in -tow instead of their own, they set sail for Yarmouth, and sailing up -Breydon Water they moored the yacht by the Berney Arms, a public-house -situate where the Yare debouches into Breydon. - -As the night fell they could see and hear wild-fowl of various kinds -flying to and settling on the muds. Dick preferred staying on board the -yacht, for his frame was not yet so inured to winter cold as it had been -to summer heat, and the other two, with Bell, set out in the punt about -eight o'clock. They rowed down Breydon Water with the last of the ebb, -and then floated and paddled up again as the tide rose. Bell crouched in -the stern and worked the two short paddles by which the punt was -propelled when approaching the birds. Frank lay in the bows, with the -big gun in position in front of him, and Jimmy cuddled up in the middle, -armed with Frank's light double-barrel, ready to knock over any of the -wounded birds which might try to escape. The night was rather light with -the brightness from the stars, which shone resplendently from the deep, -dark blue, and in the east the moon lifted a faint curved horn above the -trees. - -"There are a lot of birds on that mud-bank; I can hear them quite -plainly," whispered Frank to Bell. - -"Hush! Don't you speak or fire until I whistle, and then pull the -trigger; but have the gun ready covering the birds. They are too -scattered now. Wait until the tide rises a little higher, and covers -most part of the bank, and then they will huddle together, when you will -kill twice as many." - -They waited for a quarter of an hour, gradually drawing nearer the -birds, which were now collected together on a large dark patch on the -mud which was still uncovered by the rippling waves. Frank had his eye -on them, the gun covering them and his finger on the trigger, waiting -breathlessly for the signal. - -A low whistle sounded behind him. A sudden silence took the place of the -chattering and gobbling sounds which had before proceeded from the -birds. Frank pressed the trigger. The mighty gun flashed forth its -deadly contents with a tremendous roar, and Frank found himself hurled -back upon Jimmy. He had incautiously put his shoulder to the gun. He was -not hurt, however, for the cushion had saved his shoulder. The birds -which were unhurt swept away with a great clamour, but the mud was -covered with dead and dying. Two of the winged ones were swimming away, -when Jimmy fired and killed them. They landed on the mud, taking care to -put on the mud-boards. They picked up the dead ones, and had many a -lively chase after the wounded ones on the mud and in the shallow water. -They recovered five-and-twenty birds. Half of them were wild-ducks, and -the rest dunlins and other shore birds. - -[Illustration: WILD DUCK SHOOTING.] - -They passed on up Breydon, but they could not get another shot of such -magnitude. Another punt was on the water, and the noise of its firing -and oars disturbed the birds, so that they were difficult to approach. -They got, however, two more long shots, and killed six ducks at one and -three at another. - -The tide had now covered most of the flats, and the birds had either -left the water or were floating on the surface, and could not easily be -seen because of the waves. Bell then said he knew of a spot where the -mud had been artificially raised, so as to form a sort of island, for -the express purpose of enticing the wild-fowl to gather on it as the -tide rose. He therefore paddled them towards it. Some clouds had -obscured much of the starlight, and the night was darker. Frank became -aware of one dark patch on the water in front of them, and another to -the left. He thought they were both flocks of birds, and selected the -left hand one, as being the nearer. He covered it with his gun, and -waited somewhat impatiently for Bell to give the signal. - -"Surely we are near enough;" he thought, when Jimmy crept up behind him -and whispered, "Bell says that is another punt, they must be making for -the mud we are, that patch in front." - -"By Jove," exclaimed Frank, "I was aiming at the boat, and about to -fire. Perhaps they are aiming at us." - -"Don't shoot," cried out Bell to the other boat, and Frank immediately -twisted his gun around and fired at the birds which rose from the -mud-bank. - -"I say, you there!" cried out a man in the other boat, "that was a -narrow escape for you. I was on the point of firing at you. You should -give me half the birds you shot then." - -"All right, you shall have them, if you will help to pick them up," sang -out Frank. Only a dozen, half of them dunlins, were secured and -divided. - -"That was a danger in punt-shooting which I hadn't foreseen," said Frank -to the stranger. "It was a close shave for you as well as for us. Will -you come on board our yacht and have some supper?" - -The stranger assented, and proved to be a sporting lawyer from Yarmouth, -and a very pleasant fellow. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXVI. - - Drifted to Sea.--A Perilous Position.--Rescue. - - -The next day Bell went off to Yarmouth to sell some of the fowl in the -market, and unfortunately got fuddled, so that when the evening came he -was unable to accompany the shooters. Frank and Jimmy resolved to go out -by themselves. Making a mistake as to the time of the tide, they found -themselves carried swiftly down Breydon Water on a tide which had yet -four hours to ebb. The night was clear, cold, and starlit, with a -stinging north-easter sweeping over the broad water, and whisking the -snow on the land into fantastic drifts. The new moon had not yet risen, -but every star was blazing brightly, and glimmering reflections shone in -the water. As they listened they found that the night was full of -strange noises, of quackings and whistlings, and that the air was cleft -by the sweep of wings. It was a night of nights for a wild-fowl shooter, -and the boys resolved to stop at Yarmouth until the tide turned. As they -neared the twinkling lights of the town a flock of wild geese took wing, -out of shot, and made for the estuary. - -"Oh, do let us follow them, they are sure to alight before they reach -the bar," said Frank. - -"Very well; but we must take care not to drift out to sea." - -"There is no danger of that, we can always run ashore." - -So they passed by the quays and fish-wharves, and one by one the lights -opened out, and passed behind them, resolving themselves into a cluster -in the distance. Ghostly vessels lifted their tall spars against the -sky, the water became more 'lumpy,' and prudence suggested that they -should turn back; but the love of sport urged them on, and triumphed. -Further still: yet the geese were nowhere to be seen, and not very far -off was the white water on the bar. They were fast drifting out to sea, -and thought it time to turn. They did so, but could make no headway -against the wind and tide, and the shores were so white with surf that -it would have been folly to have attempted to land. - -"I say, Frank, we've done it now," said Jimmy, as they drifted nearer -and nearer to the bar. - -"Don't be alarmed: we are all right," said Frank,--but privately he -thought they were in a very awkward fix. All the outward-bound vessels, -which, had it been earlier, might have picked them up, had left at the -commencement of the ebb. The punt was now in the midst of the rougher -waves which broke over the banks of sand at the mouth of the estuary, -and they were expecting every moment to be swamped, when Frank uttered a -cry of joy, and seizing the paddle, made for a black spot which was -dancing about in the foam. It was a buoy, and Jimmy seized the -'painter,' and stood up. As they neared it, a wave bore them on its -summit within reach. Jimmy succeeded in slipping the rope through the -ring on the top of the buoy, and in another moment they had swung under -its lee. They were now safe from drifting farther out to sea, but in -imminent danger of being swamped, and the time seemed very long while -waiting for the tide to turn. The curling waves continually broke over -them, and had it not been for the decked portions of the punt they would -have been sunk by the first two or three duckings. As it was, they were -kept hard at work baling with a tin scoop belonging to the punt, and -fending off from the buoy. - -Forwards and backwards, up and down and sideways, they were tossed. A -great black wall of water, with a thin crest through which the glimmer -of a star could occasionally be seen, would come surging along, making -their hearts sink with apprehension, and then would sometimes break and -die away close by, sometimes dash them against the buoy, and sometimes -with a side chop nearly fill the punt. There was a dash of excitement -about it all which made it not absolutely unpleasant, as long as the sky -remained clear and they could see the stars, which seemed to laugh at -their puny battle with the elements. But by and by the stars began to -disappear in the direction of the wind, and finally were blotted out -over the whole heavens by a huge pall of cloud, and the darkness became -awfully oppressive. The wind dropped, and its roar subsided into a low -moaning sound. They felt the cold intensely as the snow came down -quickly and silently, covering them with a white coating. A black -cormorant suddenly appeared hovering over them, to be driven away with -the paddle, and they could hear the swoop of gulls about them. - -"We are not quite food for the birds yet; but I can't stand this much -longer," said Jimmy, his teeth chattering with the cold. - -"Hold up, old man. The tide will turn in half an hour." - -There was the sound of a sudden snap. The rope had parted, and a -receding wave bore them away, leaving a rapidly widening distance -between them and the buoy. - -"Keep her head to the waves," said Frank, "or we shall be upset." - -At this critical moment the sky cleared in one patch, and against it -they saw the outlines of the dark, square sails of a schooner. The boys -hailed her long and loud, and in answer came the hoarse cry, "Where -away?" - -"Here, on your weather bow. Fling us a rope!" - -In a few minutes they and their punt were safe on board, and in another -hour they were in an hotel at Yarmouth, dressed in borrowed suits of -clothes, and enjoying a hot supper. - -After this, and when their own clothes were dried by the kitchen fire, -they walked back to the Berney Arms by road, reached the yacht about -three o'clock in the morning, to the great relief of Dick, who had been -very anxious at their protracted absence. - -The next day they sailed down to Yarmouth in the _Swan_, picked up the -punt, and went up the Bure with sheets eased out and a following wind. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXVII. - - The Bread Frozen.--Skating.--Fish Frozen in Ice.-- - Birds Frozen to the Ice.--Ice-Ships. - - -It was dark when they sailed up the dyke leading to the broad, and the -wind had fallen, so that their progress was slow. As they moved out of -the dyke, where there was a gentle current, into the open broad, there -was a sound of crashing and splintering at their bows, and the way of -the yacht was stopped. Jimmy and Dick rushed out of the cabin, where -they had been preparing supper, and said to Frank, who was at the -helm,-- - -"What is the matter?" - -"Why the broad is frozen over, and we can't get any further." - -"Can't we break a passage through?" said Dick. - -"We might, but it would be a pity to spoil so much ice for skating. Let -us stay here until the morning, and then we can walk across for our -skates. The yacht will be as safe here as by the boat-house." - -They were already sufficiently wedged in by the ice to be able to -dispense with the lowering of their anchor, and after supper--(which by -the way consisted of, first broiled bacon, next tinned salmon, then some -gooseberry-jam, followed by cheese, and finally a tin of American -preserved strawberries, which they had bought at Yarmouth, the whole -washed down by coffee and beer)--they turned in for a snooze. The -silence of the night was broken by continual sharp, tinkling noises. It -was some little time before they discovered that these arose from the -ice crystals as they formed along the surface of the water, shooting out -in long needles and crossing each other, until every inch of the water -was covered. - -In the morning the ice was strong enough to bear their weight, although -it bent in long waves beneath them as they hurried over it. - -The frost continued. The ice was smooth, and black, and hard, and -perfectly free from snow. Early and late, the boys sped lightly over it -on their skates, enjoying to the full this most invigorating and healthy -exercise. - -Frank and Jimmy practised threes and eights and the spread-eagle, and -the other now old-fashioned figures, with great assiduity; and Dick, -having soon mastered the inside edge, tumbled about most indefatigably -in his efforts to master the outside edge. - -The frost continued with unabated severity, and soon the ice was two -feet thick, and the shallower portions of the broad were frozen to the -bottom. One day Dick was skating at a good pace before the wind, when -something beneath his feet in the transparent ice attracted his -attention, and in his haste to stop he came down very heavily. He -shouted to Frank and Jimmy to come up, and when they did so, he pointed -to the ice at his feet. Midway in the water, where it was about two feet -deep, was a shoal of a dozen perch, most of them good sized ones, frozen -into the ice in various attitudes, betokening their last struggle to -escape. The reason of their being so caught was explained by the fact -that they were in a slight depression surrounded by shallower and weedy -water, which had frozen so as to shut them in, and give them no means of -escape before the water in which they swam became solid. - -"That fellow is fully two pounds weight. I wonder if they are dead," -said Frank. - -"Of course they must be," answered Jimmy; "they cannot be frozen stiff -like that and live." - -"I am not so sure about that," observed Dick; "caterpillars have been -known to be frozen quite stiff, and to all appearance lifeless, yet they -revive when they are warmed." - -"Well," said Frank, "I tell you what we will do. We will dig them out, -and put them into water in the house, and give them a chance." - -They did so, and five of the perch, including the biggest and the -smallest, came to life, and were subsequently restored to the broad. - -One day a rapid thaw set in, and the ice was covered with a thin layer -of water. During the night, however, the wind suddenly changed, and this -layer of water froze so quickly, that it held fast by the feet many -water-fowl which had been resting on the ice. - -When the boys went down to the ice in the morning, they saw here and -there a dead or dying water-hen or coot thus made captive, and -surrounded by a group of the hooded crows, those grey-backed crows which -in the winter-time are so common in Norfolk, and the rapacious birds -were attacking and eating the poor held-fast water-fowl. - -The crowning achievement of the winter was this: They broke the _Swan_ -free, and got her on to the ice; then they supported her on some -runners, like large skate irons, made by the village blacksmith, and put -on ordinary skates on each rudder to get steerage power, and so -constructed with great ease an ice-ship after the fashion of those used -in some parts of Canada. With this they sped over the ice at a far -quicker rate than they had ever sailed upon the water, and they could -steer her tolerably close to the wind. This amusement superseded the -skating until the ice melted away, and the _Swan_ once more floated on -the water and sailed in her legitimate manner. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXVIII. - - The Thaw.--Cromer.--Prehistoric Remains. - - -The thaw was accompanied by torrents of rain for more than a week. At -the end of that time the boys were sitting in the boat-house making up -their Note-book, when Mr. Meredith entered and said to them,-- - -"Will you drive with me to Cromer? I hear that a large portion of the -cliff has fallen away and exposed a bed containing the bones and remains -of prehistoric elephants and other mammalia, and all the geologists of -the country are going there. I thought we might as well see these -wonderful relics of the past. What do you say?" - -"We should like it above all things," said Frank for the others; and Mr. -Merivale's horses were forthwith harnessed to the waggonette, and they -started. The rain had ceased, and a cold, white sun shone out of a white -space in the leaden sky. - -The town of Cromer is the easternmost part of England, and it is built -on the summit of a gravel-hill, which the sidelong sweeping tides eat -away little by little and year by year. It is said that the church of -old Cromer lies buried under the sea half a mile from the present shore. -Immediately in front of the village the cliff is plated and faced with -flints and protected by breakwaters, but on either side the soft earth -is loosened by the frosts and rains, and undermined by the tidal -currents, which, running nearly north and south, sweep the débris away -instead of piling it at the foot of the cliff. - -Putting the horses up at the principal inn, they walked to the cliff -below the lighthouse, where a portion of the high cliff had slid into -the sea. In one place a recent storm had swept the fallen mass of gravel -away and exposed at the bottom a portion of the "forest bed." Here three -or four gentlemen, presumably geologists, were freely engaged in poking -and digging. One man was tugging hard at a huge bone which projected out -of the cliff; another was carefully unveiling the stump of a fossil -tree. Here and there were the stumps of trees--oaks and firs, and -others, with their spreading roots intact, just as ages ago they had -stood and flourished; and between these ancient stumps were the bones -and the teeth of elephant, hippopotamus, and rhinoceros, deer of ten -different sorts, bears, tigers, and many another animal, the like, or -the prototype of which, are now found in tropical regions alone. The -boys were very much struck with the sight of these remains of the -animals which lived before the Flood, and as they wandered about, -finding here a tooth and there a bone, and then the stem of a strange -tree, they amused themselves by reconstructing in imagination the -luxuriant woods teeming with savage monsters which once stood on a level -with the shore, and speculating upon the causes which led to the piling -up of the gravel strata which now cover them to such a depth. - -"Are these animal deposits peculiar to Cromer, Mr. Meredith?" asked -Dick. - -"No. You can scarcely dig anywhere in Norfolk in similar deposits -without coming upon these remains; this is the case in Holland and -Belgium also, so that there is positive evidence that the German Ocean -is of comparatively recent origin, the two countries having once been -connected by a great plain, a portion of which is now covered with -water. From the bottom of the sea the fishermen often dredge up bones -and fragments of trees similar to those in the base of this cliff." - -The short winter day soon drew on to dusk, and they strolled on to the -pier to see the sun set in the sea on this the east coast of England. -The land so juts out, and to the northward the water so bites into the -land, that not only does the sun rise from the sea, but it also sets in -it. - -The surf-crested waves which broke heavily against the black breakwater -were red and lurid with the sunset light, and in fantastic masses, -flooded with red and orange, the clouds gathering about the descending -sun. And then, as the strange glare faded away and the grey dusk settled -over the chafing sea, a white light shot out from the lighthouse tower, -and traced a gleaming pathway over sea, pier, houses, and woods, as it -revolved with steady purpose. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXIX. - - The Boys' Note-Book. - - -A Note-book was incidentally mentioned in the last chapter. Properly -speaking, it should have been mentioned long before. - -On the table in the boat-house lay a large folio manuscript book, in -which the boys noted down whatever, in their reading or observation, -struck them as noticeable or worth remembering, or of which they wished -to be reminded at some future time, when they should have leisure to -look up what they wished to know concerning the matter noted. Before -therefore I close this "strange eventful history," I shall quote a few -pages at random out of their Note-book, just to show how it was kept -up. - -In the left-hand margin of each sheet the date of the entry was written -opposite each note, and each jotting was signed by the one making it. So -that the book ran after this fashion:-- - -"They have a novel mode of netting shore birds at Lynn. They have long -nets stretched on poles about six feet high, on the sands towards dusk, -one line below high water mark and the other upon the ridge."--F. M. - -"All grain-eating birds feed their young on insects--as a matter of -course because there is no grain in the spring--so they make up for the -damage they may do to the grain. I shall write a letter to this effect -to the Secretary of the Sparrow Club here. The fellows in that club are -as proud of their sparrow heads as a red Indian of his scalps."--F. M. - -[Illustration: MOLE CRICKET.] - -"Crickets are the thirstiest of all thirsty creatures." - -"Mem. How do flies walk with their heads downwards, and how do they -buzz?"--R. C. - -"Caught a lizard in the garden to-day, and when I touched it, its tail -dropped off. Curious habit some reptiles have of parting with their -tails. It is done to divert attention from the body, which makes its -escape."--J. B. - -"Our keeper set some trimmers on our little lake in the park last -night, and this morning he found on one of them a great crested grebe -which had swallowed the bait, and on the other an eel of four pounds -weight with a kitten in its inside."--R. C. - -"Frank's head has a permanent set to one side, from always looking into -the hedges for nests. I noticed it in church."--J. B. - -"You'll get a licking, young 'un."--Frank. - -[Illustration: COMMON LIZARD.] - -"Bell says that he has seen an osprey resting on one of the posts in -Hickling Broad, and it was so gorged after a meal of fish that he rowed -quite close to it."--F. M. - -"I saw a squirrel eating some toad-stools which grew at the foot of a -tree near Sir Richard's house. I thought they fed only on nuts."--J. -Brett. - -"They say that hedgehogs will go into an orchard and roll themselves on -the fallen fruit, so that it sticks to their spines, and then they walk -off with it. Should like to see them do it, and I wonder how they get it -off again."--J. B. - -[Illustration: OSPREY.] - -[Illustration: CRESTED GREBE.] - -"Saw a robin kill a sparrow in fair fight this morning, and it -afterwards _ate_ a portion of him! Also saw two rooks fighting like -anything, and a third perched on a branch just above them, as if to see -fair play."--F. M. - -[Illustration: 1. Nest of White Ant. 2. Suspended Wasp's Nest. 3. Common -Wasp. 4. Demoiselle Dragon-fly. 5, 6. Soldiers of White Ant. 7. Hornet. -8. Worker of White Ant. 9. Wood Ant. 10. Red Ant.] - -"What a curious instinct it is which leads moths and butterflies, while -you are killing them, to lay their eggs. It is their last will and -testament!" - -[Illustration: HEDGEHOG.] - -[Illustration: HONEY-BUZZARD.] - -"I found a brood of caterpillars on a hawthorn-bush; they were the -caterpillars of the small oak-eggar. They make a silken nest in the -branches, and they come out to feed and go in to sleep. There were at -the least five hundred of them. The moth, I see, is a small, dingy brown -thing, with white spots on the wings."--R. C. - -"Bell's son took a hornet's nest the other day. He was stung by one of -them, and was ill for some days, the inflammation was so bad. Bell says -that hornets are much rarer now than they used to be, and a good thing -too. - -"While going to take a wasp's nest to-day, we disturbed a large -hawk-like bird, which had been digging it up and apparently eating the -grubs. The wasps were flying all about it and settling on it, but it did -not seem to mind them. Upon looking at our books we have decided that -the bird was the honey-buzzard, one of the short-winged hawks."--F. M. - - - - -CHAPTER XL. - - A Regatta.--The "Waterlog's" Victory. - - -The waters of the broad once more blazed beneath the summer sun. The -_Swan_ lay at anchor in a reedy bay, and the three boys were sitting on -deck, busily engaged in discussing some project which seemed to interest -them very much. - -For some years past a large yacht had been a prominent object on the -Norfolk and Suffolk waters, not on account of her speed or her beauty, -but because of her great ugliness of form, and her exceeding slowness of -sailing. Cram on as much sail as you could, and yet the clumsiest wherry -could beat her in sailing. Her owner entered her for many a race, and -she was invariably so badly beaten that she became a laughing-stock. Her -name was the _Waterlily_, but she was facetiously christened and -universally called the "Waterlog." Her end was tragic. One time when the -waters were very high after great floods, her owner sailed her into a -small broad, and, not taking her off in time, the waters fell, and there -was not depth enough to float her out, and she became fixed in a trap, -out of which she could not be removed. She was offered for sale, but no -one would buy her; so her owner, in a fit of disgust, first dismantled -her and then set fire to her, and so she perished. Her nickname survived -her, however, and, to the great indignation of the boys, descended upon -the _Swan_, whose stiff and stately motion and peculiar appearance had -made her the mark for it. - -They were now holding an "indignation meeting" upon the subject, and a -way had just been mooted by which they hoped to sustain the dignity of -their boat. - -"Wroxham Regatta is on the 20th of next month," said Frank, "and there -is a race open to all classes of yachts except the winners of the -previous races. Those will clear off the crack ships, and I don't think -we need fear any of the others. I vote we enter the _Swan_ for it, and -show them how she can sail. The prize is a very handsome cup." - -"Do you really think she will have any chance, Frank?" asked Jimmy. - -"Not with her present rig; but we will add a big top-sail to both -main-sail and mizen. Her double shape will enable her to stand any -amount of sail, and if we have a good side wind and plenty of it we -shall stand a very good chance." - -So it was decided that the yacht should be entered for the race, and -they set to work to prepare two immense yards and top-sails, and to -practise sailing the yacht with them up. Mary Merivale and Edith Rose -were invited to be on board during the race; the elders were to be -present on board a friend's yacht to witness the regatta. - -The day of the regatta arrived, and a strong north-wester was raising -mimic waves on the broad. The boys had taken the yacht overnight to -Wroxham, and in the morning they met Mary and Edith at Wroxham Bridge, -and took them on board. - -"Is it not dreadfully windy?" asked Edith Rose, as the wind blew her -curls back from her pretty face. - -"It is just what we want, Miss Rose," answered Frank. - -"Wouldn't it be safer if we were not to be on board during the race? I -am afraid you are going to be too venturesome. I heard you were going to -put some more sails up, and I am sure these are large enough," said -Edith. - -"Pray don't desert us now," said Frank, so piteously, that Edith made no -more objection for fear of vexing him. - -Over the fence of tall reeds which now separated them from the broad -they could see scores of white sails and gay pennants, and it was -evident that there was a large assemblage. - -"Why, Frank," said Mary, "I declare you are quite nervous; I can feel -your arm tremble." - -Frank indignantly repelled the accusation, but Jimmy, who was sitting on -the roof of the cabin kicking his heels, said:-- - -"I am awfully, miserably nervous, and I believe we are going to make a -tremendous mull of it, and we've done all we can to make ourselves -conspicuous." - -They had entered the yacht, out of a spirit of bravado, under the name -of "The Waterlog," and they had painted the name on slips of stout -paper, and tacked it over the legitimate name of their yacht. - -"Nonsense!" was Frank's somewhat angry commentary on Jimmy's speech. - -They now entered the broad, which presented a lively scene. Yachts of -all rigs and sizes were skimming about, with gunwales under, to the -stiff breeze. When the signal for the first race was given, those yachts -not engaged in it came to an anchor, and the _Swan_, on whom all eyes -were turned, took up her station next to the yacht in which were Mr. -Merivale and his friends. - -The wind continued to freshen and grow more gusty, so that of those -yachts which started with their top-sails, two had them carried away in -the first round, and the others had to take them down, and the yacht -which won had a single reef in her huge main-sail. - -There were three races before the open race for which the _Swan_ was -entered under her assumed name. I have not space to dwell upon the -incidents of these, nor to dilate upon the glorious life and movement of -the broad, with its crowd of white sails, and its waves sparkling in the -sunlight. Three of the best yachts were, through being winners in the -races, prohibited from sailing in the open race, but there were -nevertheless a sufficient number of entries on the card of the races to -make our boys dubious as to the result of their somewhat bold -experiment. There were six named as to start. Two were lateeners, one a -schooner, two cutters, and the sixth was the "Waterlog." - -The course was three times round the lake, outside of certain -mark-boats; and, as the wind blew, the yachts would catch it abeam for -two-thirds the course, dead aft for a sixth, and dead ahead for the -remainder. As Frank said, it was a wind in every respect suitable for -the raft-like _Swan_. - -The race excited a great amount of interest. The _Swan_ was now well -known to all the yachtsmen, and her change of name provoked curiosity -and interest, and as the signal came for the yachts to take their -station all eyes were upon the "Waterlog" (as we will call her during -the race). As the boys ran up her sails and sailed away to the -starting-point, a decided manifestation of admiration arose as the great -top-sails slowly ascended under the strenuous efforts of Dick and Jimmy. -As they fluttered in the wind, Mary threw all her little weight on to -the halyard to assist in hauling them tight and flat. - -Mary and Edith took up their places in the bows, where they were out of -the way, as there is no jib in a lugger rig. - -"Now, Dick," whispered Frank, "if any accident _should_ happen--although -it isn't likely--do you see to Mary, and I'll take Edith." - -"All right, old man." - -The yachts started from slip anchors, with the canvas set; and at the -flash of the starting-gun, sheets were hauled in, and the six yachts -which came to the starting-point bounded away almost simultaneously, the -white water flashing away from their bows, and boiling and eddying in -their wake. The wind was now blowing very fresh indeed, the other yachts -were not only gunwales under, but the water swept all over the leeward -half of their decks, and even the "Waterlog," in spite of the width of -her beam and double shape, had her leeward pontoon completely submerged. - -On they surged, the two girls clinging to the forestay, heedless of wet -feet, and breathless with the swift excitement: Frank firmly grasping -the tiller, his teeth set and his blue eyes gleaming; Dick at the -main-sheet, and Jimmy standing on the counter with the mizen-sheet in -his grasp, both watching their captain, to be instant at his commands. - -The first round was quickly over, and then the position of the competing -yachts was this:--The schooner was ahead, then at a little distance came -the "Waterlog," and close behind her the rest of the yachts in a body. -As they passed Mr. Merivale he cried out, "Well done, boys! you'll get -a good place." - -Next they passed a small boat, in which they saw Bell, who -shouted,--"Haul in your sheets a bit more,--your top-sails will hold -more wind." - -Frank saw the wisdom of this advice, and as he followed it, the -"Waterlog" shot forward and gained a little upon the schooner. - -"If the wind were to freshen a little we should come in second," said -Frank. - -But as they commenced the third round the wind dropped most -unexpectedly. The schooner in front rose nearer the perpendicular and -her speed increased; the "Waterlog" fell back, and a large lateener -behind fast overhauled her. - -"How dreadfully annoying," said Frank; and he hated that lateener with a -very vigorous hate. They passed Bell's boat again, and the old man -shouted-- - -"Look out, Master Frank, a squall will be on you in a minute." - -The sudden lull was but the precursor of a tremendously violent gust. As -the yachts were beating up to round the last mark-boat before getting a -straight run in to the goal, the boys saw the trees on the land bow -their heads with a sudden jerk, and then the squall was upon them. It -did not affect them so much when they were close hauled, but as the -leading schooner rounded the boat and presented her broadside to the -wind there was a great crash, and her cloud of white canvas descended -upon the water. Her foremast had broken close by the deck, and in -falling had snapped the remaining mast half way up, and she lay like a -log on the water. The lateener, close upon her heels, heeled over so -much, that she began to fill through the hatchway, and to save her from -an upset her sheets were let go, and with her sails wildly fluttering -she drifted on to the disabled wreck. All this was the work of a few -seconds, but there was time for Frank to unloose the halyards of the -top-sails, which were purposely made fast just in front of him, and to -give a warning shout of "heads!" and then, to the great alarm of the -girls, the sails came clattering down to leeward, and they rounded the -boat in safety, though cannoning violently against the wreck as they did -so. And now they were _first_! The cutter next behind them, in shooting -up into the wind to save herself, lost way, and was no longer a -dangerous enemy, and although the other yachts rounded the boat, yet -they were far astern, and the victory of the "Waterlog" was secure. At a -word from Frank the two girls, one on each side, stripped off the -assumed name, and let the papers float away on the wind, and, amid -vociferous cheering and clapping of hands and waving of handkerchiefs, -the _Swan_ shot past the winning-post, and so gained the prize. - -Although gained partly by accident it was a great triumph for the boys, -and the girls were quite as proud and delighted as they were. - -"You are a dear good boy, and I'll give you a kiss," said merry Mary -Merivale to her brother, "although you would rather have one from -somebody else than from me, I know." - -"I say, Molly, I wish you'd get her to give me one." - -"You will have to wait a very long time for that, Mr. Frank." - -"If you would give Dick one, she would give me one." - -"That's all you know about it, sir," said Mary, making him a saucy -curtsey. - - - - -CHAPTER XLI. - - The Conclusion. - - -Now this chronicle of the doings of my three boys must come to an end. I -have grown very fond of them, and I hope you have too. - -We will take a big jump from the doings recorded in the last chapter, -and look in upon them at a time fraught with importance to each of them. -Their pleasant school with Mr. Meredith is broken up. Frank and Dick are -going to college, and Jimmy is about to be articled to a Norwich -solicitor. They will always remain the best of friends, but still the -new times will never again be like the old. New interests, new -companions, new ambitions, all will leave their mark and have their -influence, although this I am sure of, that the memory of this glorious -partnership of three will always remain green and fresh with them, and -have the greatest of all influences on their future lives. - -Mr. Meredith had invited all three of them to dinner, and when Mrs. -Meredith had retired the conversation grew more personal and -confidential. They looked upon Mr. Meredith as an intimate friend and -counsellor, as well as a tutor and schoolmaster, and they told him their -plans and hopes, just as if he were one of themselves. - -Presently a silence fell upon the table. Frank looked at Dick, and Dick -looked at Frank, and Jimmy kicked him under the table, and at last Frank -cleared his throat with a preparatory "ahem" and said,-- - -"I am not good at making speeches, Mr. Meredith, but we wish to express -how very much obliged we have been to you for the kindness and the--in -fact the--the--well, what we mean to say is--that you are a brick of a -good fellow, sir." - -"What an awful muddle you have made of it, Frank," said Dick, in a -reproachful whisper, and Jimmy launched a vicious kick at him under the -table. - -There was a twinkle in Mr. Meredith's eye as he drank off his wine, -which was partly due to mirth, and partly to a deeper feeling. He -said,-- - -"I know what you mean, Frank, and in return I may say, that I am both -glad and sorry that the hour has come for us to part for a time. I am -sorry, because I have much enjoyed your companionship for the last three -years, and I believe you have done me as much good as I have done you. I -am glad, because you have become such fine young fellows, and I have had -a hand in the making of you, and you must do us all credit. Jimmy will -make a good lawyer, I think; and he must remember that the law is an -honourable profession, and that lawyers take the place of the knights of -old; they must do all they can to succour the widows and fatherless, and -never allow themselves to be made instruments of oppression. I will give -Jimmy just one piece of advice: Go straight, and never attempt to -finesse. I believe that this clever finessing, and attempting to outdo -other lawyers in cleverness, has been the cause of the moral ruin of -many an able lawyer. Dick, I am sorry to say, will have no need to be of -any occupation, but he must try to get plenty of voluntary work, -nevertheless, for no man's life can be noble unless he does some of the -world's work. And Frank, what are you going to be?" - -"I don't know yet, sir," replied Frank, "I should like to be a soldier, -if I could be sure of active service pretty often." - -"I wish you would be a soldier in a purer army, my boy. We want some -more men of your strength and energy to fight the devil with. We want -men who will not only do what they have to do with all their might, but -who have plenty of might to use." - -"I haven't the gift of the gab, sir," said Frank modestly. - -"That would come with practice and study, and, 'out of the fulness of -the heart the mouth speaketh.' But come, we must not leave Mrs. Meredith -so long alone on this your last night here." - -So they went into the drawing-room and had a quietly pleasant evening. - -When they left, they walked together down by the broad, talking of many -things. It was bright moonlight, and the _Swan_ lay still and distinct -on the water. It was warm, being in the middle of summer, and it was not -late; and as they stood looking at the boat which they had built, and -which had served them so well, they saw Mary and Edith Rose, who was -staying with her, coming towards them, and Mr. and Mrs. Merivale not far -behind. - -"Good night," said Jimmy, "I shall see you both in the morning;" and off -he went. - -"Poor Jimmy," said Frank, "he does not like both of us going away, and -he to be left behind alone." - -The two girls joined them, and Frank and Edith walked off together, and -Dick and Mary did the same in another direction. - -"Mary," said Dick, "Mr. Meredith said that I ought to do some work in -the world." - -"So you ought, Dick," she replied; "both Frank and Jimmy are going to be -busy, and I did so hope you would do something too." - -"I mean to do something," he replied, with a quiet smile, "but I shall -not tell you what it is yet. But if I do something which will show that -I am of some use in the world, and not a mere drone, will you marry me?" - -It was not light enough to see if she blushed, but I am sure she did so -very sweetly. What she said, very naively, was this:-- - -"I thought you would ask me some time, Dick, but I did not want you to -_quite_ ask me until you came from college. We are only boy and girl, -you know." - -"I am quite satisfied, Mary," he said, in that quiet, gentle voice of -his which made you like him so much,--and so a compact was made, which -both of them faithfully kept. - -Frank had not dared to say half so much to Edith; but the next morning, -when he was saying good bye to them all, and it came to her turn, he -looked her steadily in the face as she took his hand, and, moved by a -sudden impulse, she put up her face to be kissed as Mary had done, and -as he gravely kissed her, he said in a low tone, designed for her ear -alone,-- - -"I am going to do my very best, Edith, and what I do will be for your -sake." - -These were sweet words to the little maiden; but Frank received by the -next morning's post a little Testament from her, with these words -written on the fly-leaf-- - -"Not altogether for MY sake, Frank," and the half rebuke was of great -service to Frank. - -And so, God be with them! - - -THE END. - - - - - LONDON: - R. CLAY, SONS, AND TAYLOR, PRINTERS, - BREAD STREET HILL, - QUEEN VICTORIA STREET. - - - - - * * * * * - -Transcriber's Notes: - -Italics are indicated by _underscores_. Small caps are indicated by ALL -CAPS. - -Archaic spelling, and variations in hyphenation, punctuation, and use of -accents appear as in the original. Several words appear both with and -without hyphenation. End-of-line hyphenations in the original are -rejoined here. - -Obvious typographical errors have been changed. - - Page 4: added comma ("Yes, Frank, he is) - Page 26: "loth" to "loath" (were loath to destroy) - Page 51: added full stop (The Owner.--) - Page 54: added opening quote mark ("What a thing) - Page 54: comma to full stop (said Dick. "Is that) - Page 57: added comma (Mr. ----," said Jimmy) - Page 80: italicized "Swan" (found that the _Swan_) - Page 81: added full stop (fir-tree.) - Page 81: capitalized "Is" ("Is it a crow's) - Page 86: "affect" to "affects" (it sometimes affects) - Page 87: removed opening quote mark (On the ground) - Page 92: added full stop (sixty feet in length.) - Page 93: removed comma (to or from Lake) - Page 96: added comma (said Frank, "is not) - Page 98: added comma (external accident,) - Page 113: added comma (Frank's boat, "but) - Page 122: full stop to comma (I was a fool,") - Page 127: added opening quote mark ("Well, sir, a lot) - Page 142: added full stop (about the birds.) - Page 152: added comma ("So have I," said Frank.) - Page 159: added comma (law of nature,") - Page 160: removed closing quote mark (_Wild Flowers_:--) - Page 164: single to double opening quote mark ("Up with the) - Page 168: removed closing quote mark (its last change) - Page 199: greek character to "omega" (the letter omega,) - Page 227: "Heron.--Hawking." to "Heron-hawking." (chapter heading) - Page 236: added closing quote mark (tempt him by size.") - Page 250: "perfectlv" to "perfectly" (perfectly free from snow.) - Page 253: "fastastic" to "fantastic" (in fantastic masses,) - Page 258: added closing quote mark (last will and testament!") - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Swan and Her Crew, by George Christopher Davies - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SWAN AND HER CREW *** - -***** This file should be named 40214-8.txt or 40214-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/2/1/40214/ - -Produced by Chris Curnow, C.S. 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