teaching her brood to dive and catch trout.
There was also a big frog there that always sat in the same place, and
that I used to watch. Then I thought of a trap, two miles away, which
Simmo had set, and went to see if Nemox, the cunning fisher, who
destroys the sable traps in winter, had been caught at his own game.
So it was afternoon, and I was hungry, when I paddled back to camp. It
occurred to me suddenly that Killooleet might be hungry too; for I had
neglected to feed him. He had grown sleek and comfortable of late, and
never went insect hunting when he could get cold fried trout and corn
bread.

I landed silently and stole up to the tent to see if he were exploring
under the fly, as he sometimes did when I was away. A curious sound, a
hollow _tunk, tunk, tunk, tunk-a-tunk_, grew louder as I approached. I
stole to the big cedar, where I could see the fireplace and the little
opening before my tent, and noticed first that I had left the cracker
box open (it was almost empty) when I hurried away after the otter.
The curious sound was inside, growing more eager every moment--_tunk,
tunk, tunk-a-trrrrrrr-runk, tunk, tunk!_

I crept on my hands and knees to the box, to see what queer thing had
found his way to the crackers, and peeped cautiously over the edge.
There were Killooleet, and Mrs. Killooleet, and the five little
Killooleets, just seven hopping brown backs and bobbing heads, helping
themselves to the crackers. And the sound of their bills on the empty
box made the jolliest tattoo that ever came out of a camping kit.

I crept away more cautiously than I had come, and, standing carelessly
in my tent door, whistled the call I always used in feeding the birds.
Like a flash Killooleet appeared on the edge of the cracker box,
looking very much surprised. "I thought you were away; why, I thought
you were away," he seemed to be saying. Then he clucked, and the
_tunk-a-tunk_ ceased instantly. Another cluck, and Mrs. Killooleet
appeared, looking frightened; then, one after another, the five little
Killooleets bobbed up; and there they sat in a solemn row on the edge
of the cracker box, turning their heads sidewise to see me better.

"There!" said Killooleet, "didn't I tell you he wouldn't hurt you?"
And like five winks the five little Killooleets were back in the box,
and the _tunk-a-tunking_ began again.

This assurance that they might do as they pleased, and help themselves
undisturbed to whatever they found, se