idings, if any can be had."
With these cheerful words, away sailed Gulliver, leaving Nep and his
master to watch and wait again.

The wind blew hard, and the broken wing was not quite well yet, else
Gulliver would have been able to steer clear of a boat that came swiftly
by. A sudden gust drove the gull so violently against the sail that he
dropped breathless into the boat; and a little girl caught him, before
he could recover himself.

"Oh, what a lovely bird! See his black cap, his white breast,
dove-colored wings, red legs and bill, and soft, bright eyes. I wanted a
gull; and I'll keep this one, for I don't think he is much hurt."

Poor Gulliver struggled, pecked and screamed; but little Dora held him
fast, and shut him in a basket till they reached the shore. Then she put
him in a lobster pot,--a large wooden thing, something like a cage,--and
left him on the lawn, where he could catch glimpses of the sea, and
watch the light-house tower, as he sat alone in this dreadful prison. If
Dora had known the truth, she would have let him go, and done her best
to help him; but she could not understand his speech, as Davy did, for
very few people have the power of talking with birds, beasts, insects,
and plants. To her, his prayers and cries were only harsh screams; and,
when he sat silent, with drooping head and ruffled feathers, she thought
he was sleepy: but he was mourning for Davy, and wondering what his
little friend would do.

For three long days and nights he was a prisoner, and suffered much. The
house was full of happy people, but no one took pity upon him. Ladies
and gentlemen talked learnedly about him; boys poked and pulled him;
little girls admired him, and begged his wings for their hats, if he
died. Cats prowled about his cage; dogs barked at him; hens cackled over
him; and a shrill canary jeered at him from the pretty pagoda in which
it hung, high above danger. In the evening there was music; and the poor
bird's heart ached as the sweet sounds came to him, reminding him of the
airier melodies he loved. Through the stillness of the night, he heard
the waves break on the shore; the wind came singing up from the sea; the
moon shone kindly on him, and he saw the water-fairies dancing on the
sand. But for three days no one spoke a friendly word to him, and he
pined away with a broken heart.

On the fourth night, when all was quiet, little Gulliver saw a black
shadow steal across the lawn, and heard a soft voi