in the cottage would wish to shoot birds and besides caesar had told him that this was the closed season and people didn t hunt at this time of the year but of course this is nothing to me added the dog the farm hand went over to a little mud where there was a thick growth of there he stepped from the boat and lay down behind a pile of leaves while was left free to walk and swim around with the over his wings and to the boat with a long string suddenly caught sight of some of his old friends with whom he had formerly back and forth over the lake they were a long way off but he called to them as loudly as he could they heard and came toward him as they drew nearer he began to tell them of his rescue and of the kindness of human beings then to his great surprise two shots sounded behind him three birds sank down in the lifeless and caesar bounded out and captured them understood it all now the human beings had been kind to him only that they might use him as a duck three ducks had died on his account and he was overwhelmed with shame he thought that even caesar looked at him with contempt and when they came home to the cottage he didn t care to lie down and sleep beside the dog the next morning he was again taken to the lake several ducks saw him but when they flew toward him he called to them away away don t come near there s a hunter hiding in the i m only a bird and to his great joy they did not come within shooting distance that day the farm hand had to go home without firing off a single shot caesar looked less displeased than on the previous day and when evening came he took in his mouth carried him to the chimney comer and let him sleep between his for several days was made to perform his sixth reader service and he became known all over he was unhappy his heart suffered at the thought that human beings had never loved him one morning as he was in shallow water at the end of his he suddenly saw something swimming towards him thinking it was a duck or some other water bird he shouted have a care don t come this way fm only a duck then he saw that it was no bird but only an old nest from the year before there was nothing strange about this for nests are built in such a way that they float upon the water and sometimes it happens that the wind drives them out into the lake still gazed at the nest for it came straight towards him and looked as though some one was it over the water then as it drew nearer saw that a little brown somebody was sitting in the nest and guiding it it might be a human being but if so it was the man he had ever seen the little fellow called to him gently and said don t be afraid be ready to fly you shall soon be free the nest drifted into the shallow water stood immovable afraid lest his should be discovered the next moment a flock of wild came along and shouted to them to keep away in spite of his warning however they came so close that the farm hand was tempted to fire a couple of shots at them hardly were these shots fired before the little fellow in the nest leaped forward and slipped s from his neck now fly he cried fly before the man has time to load again the hunter had had his gaze fixed upon the and he did not see s but caesar saw fly he said you are certainly too good to be a duck but it will be very lonely in the cottage without you obeyed instantly he spread his wings and before the farm hand saw what had happened was high in the air and out of danger expression read carefully the description of lake notice that the general appearance large is first spoken of and then the details as water and shores that is the usual order in good descriptions try to find other good descriptions and read them in class talk with your teacher about the author of this story read the note regarding her at the end of this book word study notice whether long or short words in this selection try to find a reason for this make a list of the proper names and learn to each one correctly study comrade a little history i how daniel went to when george washington was only three years old a little lad was bom in who was destined to become the most famous of american the name of this child was daniel his parents were poor and he grew up without much knowledge of schools or books when the lad was about thirteen years of age his father and mother took him to a new home in north � a lonely but lovely spot on the bank of the river there he grew up with but few companions save the birds and the beasts the flowing river and the trees of the great forest he grew to be tall and strong and handsome very gentle and very brave he was a true child of the woods he knew the habits and haunts of every timid creature he could call the deer from its hiding place his whistle was answered by the and the and he could even imitate the cry of the and them from their hiding places in the great woods his eyes were always open and his ears alert to learn the secrets which nature only to those who love her 