e of the river--and there, just in
the act of launching itself from the top of a tall tree, was the great
enemy of the osprey--the white-headed eagle himself!

"Now a chase!" cried Francois, "yonder comes the big robber!"

With some excitement of feeling, the whole party watched the movements
of the birds. A few strokes of the eagle's wing brought him near; but
the osprey had already heard his scream, and knowing it was no use
carrying the fish to his nest, turned away from it, and rose spirally
upward, in the hope of escaping in that direction. The eagle followed,
beating the air with his broad pinions, as he soared after. Close behind
him went the female osprey, uttering wild screams, flapping her wings
against his very beak, and endeavouring to distract his attention from
the chase. It was to no purpose, however, as the eagle full well knew
her object, and disregarding her impotent attempts, kept on in steady
flight after her mate. This continued until the birds had reached a high
elevation, and the ospreys, from their less bulk, were nearly out of
sight. But the voyageurs could see that the eagle was on the point of
overtaking the one that carried the fish.

[Illustration: THE OSPREY AND WHITE-HEADED EAGLE.]

Presently, a glittering object dropped down from the heavens, and fell
with a plunge upon the water. It was the fish, and almost at the same
instant was heard the "whish!" of the eagle, as the great bird shot
after it. Before reaching the surface, however, his white tail and wings
were seen to spread suddenly, checking his downward course; and then,
with a scream of disappointment, he flew off in a horizontal direction,
and alit upon the same tree from which he had taken his departure. In a
minute after the ospreys came shooting down, in a diagonal line, to
their nest; and, having arrived there, a loud and apparently angry
consultation was carried on for some time, in which the young birds bore
as noisy a part as either of their parents.

"It's a wonder," said Lucien, "the eagle missed the fish--he rarely
does. The impetus which he can give his body enables him to overtake a
falling object before it can reach the earth. Perhaps the female osprey
was in his way, and hindered him.

"But why did he not pick it up in the water?" demanded Francois.

"Because it went to the bottom, and he could not reach it--that's
clear."

It was Basil who made answer, and the reason he assigned was the true
one.

"It's t