he bank on their long stilt-shaped legs.
Like everything the wrecked party had encountered, the birds seemed to
know no fear of man, acting as if they had never seen such a being
before. Hence they were coming straight over to the side opposite to
the little party.

Oliver's little double glass was out in a moment, focussed and fixed
upon the objects, while, with all a naturalist's love of the beautiful,
he feasted upon the bright eyes, drooping crests, and lovely grey and
white plumage of the two birds which showed in every way their wonderful
adaptability for the life they led.

"Look here," said Panton, "we want to shoot that loathsome reptile."

"And I want to look at the cranes. If you fire you'll scare them."

"Shoot them, then," said Drew.

"No, no, don't, or you'll startle the crocodile. I don't want to shoot
them," said Oliver; "I want to study their habits a bit, and they'll go
into the water here close to us."

Just then the second crane, which was stalking gravely behind its
companion, stopped short, and uttered a warning cry. It was too late.
Simultaneously, the crocodile, which had been cunningly watching the
bird; made a scythe-like blow with its tail, and swept the foremost,
broken and helpless, into the lagoon. Then, springing up as the second
bird took flight, the reptile was making a rush for the water, when
Drew's gun spoke out, and Panton's followed with such good effect, that
the crocodile's progress was checked, and it swung itself round to lie
with its tail in the water, thrashing about, and raising a muddy spray,
which spread for far enough, spattering upon the water like so much
dirty rain.

"Just sarves you right, my smiling beauty," cried Smith, excitedly.
"Strikes me you won't break no more birds' legs for some time to come.
Hit him again, sir."

Drew's second barrel was fired as he spoke, for the reptile was
gradually working round, as if to plunge into the water, but the bullet
it now received in the side of the head checked it, and a fourth from
Panton made it sink down almost motionless, save that it made a few
feeble snaps with its jaws.

"And I'm precious glad on it," said Billy Wriggs, who had taken the most
intense interest in the affair. "Like me to walk in and fetch out that
there bird, sir?" he continued, pointing to where the crane floated upon
the surface of the lagoon.

"I should like the bird," said Oliver, "but I don't think it would be
safe for you to wade