The Swan and Her Crew

by Burt L. Standish

  CHAPTER XII.

  Yarmouth.--The "Rows".--A Stiff Breeze.--An Exciting Sail.-- Sparrow-hawk's Nest.--A Nasty Fall.--Long-eared Owl.-- Partridge.--Sandpiper.

  Yarmouth is a queer old semi-Dutch town, and is often compared in shapeto a gridiron, the bars of that article corresponding to the "Rows"which are such a peculiar feature of Yarmouth. These rows stretchingacross from the quay-side to the principal street are very narrow, yetcontain the houses and shops of a great portion of the population. Manyare only wide enough for foot passengers but along others, carts of apeculiar construction can pass. These carts are very long and narrow,and have only two wheels, and a stranger seeing them for the first timewould wonder what they were for.

  Below Breydon Water the river narrows very much, and flows past numerousfish-wharves and quays to the sea. The tide rises up this narrow neckwith great force, and were it not for the safety-valve which is affordedby the vast expanse of Breydon Water, where the tide can expand andwaste its force, it would rush on and flood the low-lying marshes formiles up the river.

  The boys had resolved to start on their voyage up Breydon Water at teno'clock in the morning, when the tide would be making and would helpthem on their way, but when they had staggered down to their boat in theteeth of a fierce north-wester, and saw Breydon white with foam, tornoff short snappy waves caused by the meeting of wind and tide, they wererather dismayed, and held a council of war as to what should be done.Not a sail could be seen on the wide expanse of Breydon Water. The skywas of a hard and pitiless blue, and clearly foretold a continuance ofthe gale.

  "Shall we venture or not?" said Frank.

  "What do you feel inclined to do yourself?" asked Jimmy.

  "Well, I don't think there is any great risk. We will take every reefin, and the tide will be in our favour. It will be a good trial for theyacht too. If we can get to the top of Breydon against this gale weshall have every reason to be satisfied with her. I am game to try."

  "So am I," said Jimmy.

  "Then if you are, I am," said Dick.

  "That's right. Then do you make all snug on board, while I run back tothe town. I have something to buy," and off he went.

  In a short time he returned with a small life-belt in his hand.

  "Here, this is for you, Dick. Jimmy and I swim so well that there is nodanger for us, but you cannot swim so very far yet, so you had betterwear this in case of a capsize, though I don't expect one. Now, are youready?"

  "Yes."

  "Then, Jimmy, do you take the main-sheet, and you, Dick, take themizen-sheet, and I will cast off."

  The sails were hoisted, and everything made taut and trim. Frank undidthe moorings, and jumped on board, seizing the tiller just as theyacht's head turned from the shore, and she heeled over before the wind.No sooner was she free from the quay than she seemed to be at theopposite side of the river, at such a pace did the wind impel her.Although her raft-like frame gave her so much stability, yet she heeledover until her deck to leeward was in the water. She came back on theopposite tack with the speed of a racehorse. Frank said,--

  "I say, she fairly seems to run away from us. Quick, loose the sheet,Jimmy! Here's a squall!" and the yacht ran up into the wind, and hersails fluttered as Frank kept her so until the gust had passed. Theywere soon out in the open water of Breydon, and were able to take longertacks. This gave them some ease, but they found that the _Swan_ was not a"dry" boat. Her lowness and flat shape caused her to "ship" the shortcurling seas. They, of course, passed over her deck harmlessly, butnevertheless they made her wet and uncomfortable. As long, however, asshe was safe and sailed well, the boys did not mind this at all, andthey stuck to their work bravely, handling their yacht with great skilland courage.

  Large portions of Breydon are dry at low tide, and are there called"muds," or "flats." On these muds flocks of sea-fowl congregate.

  "These are capital places in the winter for wild-fowl shooting," saidFrank, "we must have a day's sport here in the next hard frost. Bellwill come with us, and show us some good fun, I am sure."

  "My father has a big swivel duck-gun somewhere about. If that will be ofany use I will look it up," said Dick.

  "Of course it will be of use, old man. Just the thing we want. Haul inher sheet, Jimmy. We can sail a point nearer to the wind, if we choose.I say, this is fine! What muffs we were to think that there was anydanger, or that the yacht could not do it. See how well she behaves! Butthere, I am putting her too full, and she was very nearly capsized. Theman at the wheel must not speak, so don't talk to me."

  "This may be fine fun for you, Frank, but my hands have nearly all theskin taken off them by the rope. It is jolly hard work holding on tothis, I can tell you," said Jimmy, who, indeed, had got his work cut outfor him.

  "Same here," said Dick; "I don't care how soon it is over, for my handsare awfully flayed. I wish we could make the sheet fast."

  "Ah, you must not do that, or we shall be upset at the next gust," saidFrank.

  After an hour and a half of very exciting sailing, they had sailed thefive miles of Breydon Water, and ran into the smoother current of theWaveney. Here, also, they got the wind more aslant, and skimmed along ata great pace with very little labour. In this way, they sailed somefifteen miles, and at length came to anchor in a sheltered spot under awood-crowned bank not far from Beccles. After making all snug and eatingtheir dinner, the most natural thing to do was to explore the wood nearthem. They left the yacht, and crossing a meadow they entered the wood.It was a thick fir-plantation and promised well for nests.

  "What is that one?" said Jimmy, pointing to a nest in a tall fir-tree."Is it a crow's, or an old wood-pigeon's, or a hawk's? Who will go upand see?"

  "I will," said Frank, and up he went hand over hand among the thickboughs. As he neared the top, he was obliged to proceed morecautiously, for the branches were thin, and the tree swayed in the wind.All doubts as to the kind of nest were speedily dissolved, for with acry of rage, a sparrow-hawk came dashing up, and flew in circles aroundthe tree, screaming angrily, and making fierce attacks at the invader ofits home. Frank, nothing daunted, continued his upward way, and soon wasable to see into the nest.

  "There are four young ones," he cried.

  SPARROW-HAWK.]

  "What a pity," said Jimmy. "If they had only been eggs! Look sharp andcome down, Frank, you are swinging about so much that it does not seemsafe up there."

  But Frank answered nothing, and remained on his perch.

  "What is the matter, Frank?"

  "I am thinking about something."

  "A tree-top is a funny place to think. Here is the other hawk coming topay you a visit, and it is the female. She will be more savage than theother, and may attack you."

  "No fear," said Frank, but at that moment both hawks made a suddenonslaught upon him, and the female struck him so savagely, that she torea big gash in his cheek. He was so startled at this unexpected andhostile measure that he lost his hold and fell. When Dick and Jimmy sawtheir leader crashing through the branches, and turning over and over ashe fell, they could not repress a shriek, and closed their eyes to shutout the horrible accident that must happen. They waited in fearfulsuspense for the expected thud, but not hearing it, they ventured tolook up again, and saw Frank lying on a thickly spreading branch not farbelow the nest. He was lying quite still, but clutching hold of theboughs with his hands. Both Dick and Jimmy flew to the tree, andcommenced to climb it. With a speed that seemed wonderful to themafterwards they reached Frank.

  "Are you hurt, old man?"

  "Not at all, only all the wind is knocked out of me. I shall be allright in a minute. I say, if my mater saw that tumble, she would not letme go out alone any more, would she? That hawk was a plucky bird. I amgoing up to the nest again."

  "What for? I should think you have had enough of hawks' nests for a longtime."

  "Yes, but I want to take two of the young ones. Two of them are muchlarger than the others, so they must be females. Now I'll tell you
whatstruck me before the bird knocked me off my perch. Suppose we take theseyoung hawks, and train them up in the way they should go--that is, letus use them for hawking."

  "It is a good idea and no mistake--but can we do that?"

  "Easily," answered Frank, gathering himself together, and resuming hisascent.

  "What a cool fellow he is," said Dick to Jimmy. "He does not seem toknow what danger is."

  "He does not choose to show it, if he does. But let us go up and helphim with the hawks."

  The young hawks were fully fledged and nearly ready to fly. They werefierce enough now, but Frank said he would undertake to tame them, andfit them for hawking before the winter, if the other boys would helphim. The idea of reviving that famous old sport was a very fascinatingone, and they determined to do their best to carry it out, with whatresult will afterwards be seen. In the meantime it was a difficultmatter to dispose of the birds. They tied strings to their legs, andkept them in the cabin, feeding them, and taking as much care of them asif they were babies, until they came to Norwich, when they sent them toBell, who took care of them until their return.

  After taking the hawks to the boat, the boys went back to the wood andseparated, so that they might cover more ground. Suddenly peals oflaughter were heard coming from the corner of the wood. Frank, pushingaside the branches to get a clearer view, was surprised to see Dickstaring at a thick Scotch fir, holding his sides, and laughing until thetears ran down his cheeks. Frank hastened up to him to see where the funwas. Dick could only point, for he was too far gone for speech. Franklooked in the direction he pointed, and immediately burst into a fit oflaughter far more uproarious than Dick's. Jimmy, running up as fast ashe could, saw both his friends laughing and capering like mad.

  "What on earth is the matter? Have you both gone crazy?" They pointed tothe Scotch fir. Jimmy looked, and immediately fell a roaring withlaughter as hard as the others.

  LONG-EARED OWL.]

  This is the explanation. On a horizontal bough of the tree were seatedsix young long-eared owls. They were fully fledged, but unable to fly,and according to their custom they had left their nest and were perchedtogether on this branch waiting for their parents to feed them. Theylooked most extremely absurd and ridiculous as they sat, each on onefoot swaying to and fro after their manner on the bough, and gravelywinking their large brown eyes at the intruders. It is impossible togive any idea of the comicality of the scene any more than it ispossible to give a true description in words of the grotesque gesturesof a clown. Of this owl Morris says,--

  "It is readily tamed, and affords much amusement by the many grotesqueattitudes it assumes, to which its ears and eyes give piquancy. It mayoften be detected that a small orifice is left through which it ispeeping when its eyes would seem to be shut, and it has the singularfaculty of being able to close one eye while the other is not shut, sothat it may appear wide awake on one side while apparently asleep on theother, or if asleep, may be so literally with one eye open. The ears areraised by excitement; at other times they are depressed."

  COMMON PARTRIDGE.]

  On its head this owl has two tufts of feathers which look like donkey'sears, and give it its name. It is common in many parts of England, andfrequents thick fir-woods, where it builds in old nests of crows andhawks, or even squirrels, which it lines with wool, and in which it laystwo or three round white eggs.

  Jimmy sadly wanted to take one of the young ones home, but the hawkswere as much as they could manage in the yacht, and after all, the owlwould be of no use to them, and it might die, so they reluctantly leftthe birds on their perch to snore in peace.

  EGG OF COMMON PARTRIDGE.]

  "What is that partridge calling for?" said Frank.

  "I can't think," answered Jimmy. "It seems to come from the top of thathaystack, but that is a very unlikely place for a partridge in thebreeding season."

  "I will go up and see," said Dick, "if you will give me a back." Theysoon lifted him up, and as they did so, a French or red-legged partridgeflew off.

  "Here is her nest with ten eggs in it," cried Dick, "what anextraordinary spot for a nest." And so it was, but not altogethersingular, for the partridge has been known to build in a hollow tree,and in other unlikely situations.

  Leaving the wood, they proceeded up a small stream which empties itselfinto the Waveney. As they advanced, a sandpiper took short flights infront of them. It was presently joined by another, and the two seemed souneasy, that the boys concluded that their nest could not be far off.They therefore set to work to examine every likely spot with great care.Dick was the one who found it, in fact he very nearly trod upon it. Fourcream-coloured eggs with brown spots, very much pointed and very largefor the size of the bird, lay in a hollow in a gravelly bank, upon a fewpieces of dry grass and leaves, the birds' apology for a nest. Thesandpipers flew over head, uttering their cry of "weet, weet, weet,"with great anxiety, and they looked so pretty, that the boys felt sorryfor them, and only took two of their eggs.

  The summer snipe, as this bird is also called, is well known to everyonewho wanders by the side of streams or lakes. Its white stomach contrastsso prettily with its dusky back, and it walks so merrily about thewater-edge, trotting over the lily leaves, and taking short flightsbefore the angler, that it is one of my favourite birds, the kingfisherand the water-ouzel being the other two.

  Jimmy had gone off up a small ravine thickly covered with underwood, insearch of a fern or two which he expected to find there. He had not beengone long before they heard him give a loud shout, and turning towardsthe spot, they saw a woodcock float out of a covert with that owl-likeflight which it sometimes affect.

  "Here is its nest," shouted Jimmy.

  This news was sufficient to make the boys rush at once to the placewhere Jimmy stood.

  On the ground under a holly-bush was the nest, with four eggs in it, ofa dirty yellowish white, spotted with pale brown.

  COMMON SANDPIPER.]

  "Well," said Frank, "I think we have had an uncommonly good day."

  "So do I," replied Jimmy, "and I feel uncommonly hungry. Don't you?"

  "It seems to me that we do nothing but eat," observed Dick.

  "I should like to go to bed soon. I am tired, and my ribs ache from mytumble," said Frank.