again it darted into the surf, and, when I leaned out into the
chilling drizzle, I saw nothing save the flat ebb crawling on the
coast--I heard nothing save the purring of bubbles on seething sands.




V


It took me a week to perfect my arrangements for transporting the
great auks, by water, to Port-of-Waves, where a lumber schooner was to
be sent from Petite Sainte Isole, chartered by me for a voyage to New
York.

I had constructed a cage made of osiers, in which my auks were to
squat until they arrived at Bronx Park. My telegrams to Professor
Farrago were brief. One merely said "Victory!" Another explained that
I wanted no assistance; and a third read: "Schooner chartered. Arrive
New York July 1st. Send furniture-van to foot of Bluff Street."

My week as a guest of Mr. Halyard proved interesting. I wrangled with
that invalid to his heart's content, I worked all day on my osier
cage, I hunted the thimble in the moonlight with the pretty nurse. We
sometimes found it.

As for the thing they called the harbor-master, I saw it a dozen
times, but always either at night or so far away and so close to the
sea that of course no trace of it remained when I reached the spot,
rifle in hand.