called, have abilities at which we
can only wonder. The mind of an ant is one to which I would readily go
to school. Birds have atmospheric and levitational information which
millions of years will not render accessible to us; who that has seen a
spider weaving his labyrinth, or a bee voyaging safely in the trackless
air, can refuse to credit that a vivid, trained intelligence animates
these small enigmas? and the commonest earthworm is the heir to a
culture before which I bow with the profoundest veneration--"

"Shawn," said the sergeant, "say something for goodness' sake to take
the sound of that man's clack out of my ear."

"I wouldn't know what to be talking about," said Shawn, "for I never
was much of a hand at conversation, and, barring my prayers, I got no
education--I think myself that he was making a remark about a dog. Did
you ever own a dog, sergeant?"

"You are doing very well, Shawn," said the sergeant, "keep it up now."

"I knew a man had a dog would count up to a hundred for you. He won lots
of money in bets about it, and he'd have made a fortune, only that I
noticed one day he used to be winking at the dog, and when he'd stop
winking the dog would stop counting. We made him turn his back after
that, and got the dog to count sixpence, but he barked for more than
five shillings, he did so, and he would have counted up to a pound,
maybe, only that his master turned round and hit him a kick. Every
person that ever paid him a bet said they wanted their money back, but
the man went away to America in the night, and I expect he's doing well
there for he took the dog with him. It was a wire-haired terrier bitch,
and it was the devil for having pups."

"It is astonishing," said the Philosopher, "on what slender compulsion
people will go to America--"

"Keep it up, Shawn," said the sergeant, "you are doing me a favour."

"I will so," said Shawn. "I had a cat one time and it used to have
kittens every two months."

The Philosopher's voice arose:

"If there was any periodicity about these migrations one could
understand them. Birds, for example, migrate from their homes in the
late autumn and seek abroad the sustenance and warmth which the winter
would withhold if they remained in their native lands. The salmon also,
a dignified fish with a pink skin, emigrates from the Atlantic
Ocean, and betakes himself inland to the streams and lakes, where he
recuperates for a season, and is often surprised by net, ang