kernels they chanced to find, they were startled from their repast by the
screams of a large slate-coloured hawk, and Velvet-paw very narrowly
escaped being pounced upon and carried off in its sharp-hooked talons.
Silver-nose at the same time was nearly frightened to death by the keen
round eyes of a cunning racoon, which had come within a few feet of the
mossy branch of an old cedar, where she sat picking the seeds out of a dry
head of a blue flag-flower she had found on the shore. Silvy, at this
sight, gave a spring that left her many yards beyond her sharp-sighted
enemy.

A lively note of joy was uttered by Nimblefoot, for, perched at his ease on
a top branch of the hemlock-tree, he had seen the bound made by
Silver-nose.

"Well jumped, Silvy," said he; "Mister Coon must be a smart fellow to
equal that. But look sharp, or you will get your neck wrung yet; I see we
must keep a good look-out in this strange country."

"I begin to wish we were safe back again in our old one," whined Silvy,
who was much frightened by the danger she had just escaped.

"Pooh, pooh, child; don't be a coward," said Nimble, laughing.

"Cousin Blackie never told us there were hawks and coons on this island,"
said Velvet-paw.

"My dear, he thought we were too brave to be afraid of hawks and coons,"
said Nimble. "For my part, I think it is a fine thing to go out a little
into the world. We should never see anything better than the sky and the
water, and the old oak-tree on that little island."