Olaf, who was watching, suddenly laid down his pole, and seizing an oar gave the water two or three sharp slaps.

Instantly half a dozen strange-looking birds started out, flapping and sprawling, with their legs dangling, one or two seeming to slide across the water, till they all disappeared among the flags again.
"Oh! how funny they are!" cried Nat.

"They have such foolish-looking faces, little perky tails like a Wren's, and such long, loose feet! Why didn't they fly instead of dodging about so--are their nests in the reeds ?" "They do nest here; but now that the season is over, they stay about picking up food from the mud until they shift southward a piece for the winter.

These Rails fly well enough when they once get started, and go a long way without stopping.

But they are lazy about it in their summer homes, where they only flap up and then dodge down again to hide; so they are easy shooting--too easy to be any sport.