id monster. The hen-bird sat on the nest with open
beak, while the cock fluttered with wings expanded just above the
creature's claws, endeavouring to attract its attention, or to seize one
of the claws in its beak, which at times I thought its parental feelings
would induce it to do. All its efforts were in vain. The monster,
knowing its power, crawled on, and putting in its claws, seized one of
the young birds, which in an instant it applied to its mouth.

I could bear it no longer. "You are satisfied of the fact," I cried;
and rushing forward with a stick, I struck the hideous creature to the
ground.

"Not that it kills the older birds as well as the young," said
Lejoillie, somewhat vexed at my proceeding.

"It would have done so, depend upon it. Pray enter the fact in your
note-book."

He did so, fully satisfied, I believe, and really not sorry that I had
saved the humming-birds, or, as he called them, the "fly-birds," from
destruction.

The next morning a large boat, having a gay-coloured awning, with six
rowers, provided by the judge, was in readiness to carry us up the
river. Captain Norton escorted the ladies on board. It took us very
much less time to proceed by water, even though the current was against
us, than to have come by land.

We found my uncle greatly recovered. He expressed his pleasure at
seeing our friends Rochford and Lejoillie, and begged that they would
remain at Castle Kearney as long as they felt disposed to honour him
with their society. They expressed their admiration of the house and
everything about it, including my fair cousins, who certainly did their
best to entertain them.

In consequence of the rumours which had reached my uncle regarding the
threatened hostility of the Indians, he would not allow us to engage in
any shooting excursions. We contrived, however, to amuse ourselves by
making occasional trips in a boat up the river, when Lejoillie succeeded
in obtaining a number of specimens of birds.

In a few days Captain Norton arrived with the ponies, and set my uncle's
mind at rest by reporting that the Indians had retired westward, and
that it was supposed they would before long finally take their
departure, according to the treaty they had entered into, and cross the
Mississippi. As soon as Carlos heard this, he proposed that we should
set off on a shooting expedition.

Lejoillie at once agreed, hoping thus to find opportunities of adding to
his specimens of