He took some salt from his pocket, as his big brother had taught
him to do, and walked slowly toward them, holding out his hand.
Nanni stretched her neck forward and had taken just one lick of
the salt when suddenly the loud whirring noise came again, there
was a terrific scream overhead, and from the crags above them a
great golden eagle swooped down towards the frightened group on
the cliff, and, sticking his terrible talons into Nanni's back,
tried to lift her bodily into the air! For an instant she swung
dizzily over the edge of the cliff as the eagle beat his wings
furiously in an effort to rise with his heavy burden. But in that
instant Seppi leaped forward and, seizing the goat by the tail,
pulled back with all his might. Leneli sprang to the rescue of
Seppi, grasping him firmly around the waist, and screaming like a
wildcat as she added her strength to his.

Meanwhile Bello barked furiously, and the rest of the goats fled
bleating into the woods in a mad stampede. It was all over in
less time that it takes to tell it. The goat, wounded and
bleeding, dropped to the ground, the great bird soared away into
the dizzy spaces beyond the cliff, and the children dashed into
the shelter of the woods, dragging Nanni after them. They could
not sink down on the ground and recover from their fright as they
longed to do, for by this time the goats had scattered among the
trees and must be brought together again at once. Bello was
distractedly trying to round them up, but as he had no idea of
the direction. in which to drive them, they were all galloping
wildly about, first this way, then that.

It was some time before the children succeeded in getting the
flock together again, but at last they were able to drive them