The Irish standard., 1886-04-24
CHAPTER IV.-Continued.

CHAPTER IV.-Continued
ssThe birl's not natural, SIR replied
Mr.. Lee: ssthat's the best explanation l
can give
ssJust so,'' said the stranger, nodding
q stinted assent-''not natural.
"Besides,' added Mr.. Lee, ''though
he looks large in the water, the fellow is
really as light as a feather. l believe IN
my soul, sir, you can no more pierce
that bird with bali than you can
piece of floating eorkwood.
Cant, eh?''
nNo, sir, it is impossible. I'm living
here eighteen months, or thereabouts,
and during that time can safely say
wasted more powder Oh him than would
blow up the tower
"Well, look here, why not snare
him?''
esSnare him!"
"Why, yes, trap him by night, since
you can't shoot him by day.
60, tut, tut; no, sir, the birds game.
Moreover, you might as we'll try to
snare fox in market place.
"Well, take him flying, and meet him
with the ball." said the stranger, now
thrusting his hands deep into his breech~
es pockets, and hitching up his cap be-
hind with the collar Of his coa1; ''seen
swallows killed that way
ssWhat. swallows with bal]?"
eyes, sir; boys can do it iii the sec
ton of the country was raised in
The ]ight-keeper turned sharp,
searching eye on the stranger, and
scanned him from head to foot without
saying syllable in reply. The last
word sounded odd to his ear. In fact, 1T
suggested a sort Of vegetable idea, and
the figure of the man who uttered it
helped to give chat idea, ridiculous as
it was, something Of a specific form. Or,
rather, his tall, 1.-the figure, freckled
face and long, straight, sandy hair,
made up parsnip kind of personality
that tickled the light~keepers fancy
very much, and made him laugh.
"Well, (" said the stranger, mistaklng
the laugh, cit requires considerable ex-
perience, I allow; but still our boys can
do 1t, and as to that creetur there, l
guess can hit him flying myself .
stFlying! ha! hal My dear sir, the
bird never hies.'
:<He's got wings--hain't he?''
s:Can't certify as to that, responded
the light-keeper; s'never saw any, at
least-and what's more remarkable, he
never quits this shore"
"NThy, you don't mean that there par
ticular bird, do you?''
'rIhat identical bird, SIR
'tHe's got mate, I reckon, and goes
off once in while--don't hep
'No, sir: he has no mate-never had
any
"Excuse me- said the stranger, at
tempting to smile: :tI'm not long IN this
section OF the world, Iallow, but [ guess
I've been raised to near one Phineas
Barnum, you might hear OF. to believe
such story as tbat;' and the speaker
thrust his hands down lower still into
his pockets, and looked knowing at the
light-keeper.
ssT know nothing of Piineas Barnum,''
responded Mr.. Lee, grounding his rife
and resting on the muzzle, "but [ re-
peat to you, nevertheless, that the bird
YOU see floating on the water before
your eyes has never been out of this
bay for the last eighteen months, and
during that time was never seen in any
other creatures company, man, bird, or
beast.''
.'shoh! you. don't say so-summar or
winter? Why. rayther think that's I'M
possible--ain't it?
Summer and winter are all the same
to him, ," replied the light~keeper. 81
have seen him in January when the
storm Threatened to blow the lantern Oft
the tower, and the sea to wash this little
island and all it's contents into the deep,
Il have seen him at such times sitting
as calm and composed on the swells OF
the sea as a Turk on an ottoman smok-
ing his pipe. He's the sauciest villain
that ever swan, sir--look at him now
beyond the boat there-see how the
rascal comes sailing up to us like aswan
with his arched neck and look of proud
Defiance
':Is the piece loaded?" inquired the
stranger, in quiet, modest tone o
voice.
"No, sir; load to suit yourself; there's
the gun, and here's the powder and
ball. BY George, ii you kill him, I'll
say you're the best marksman in Done
3.