The hawks pursued him, sailing round in circles higher and higher.

So they mounted until they were mere specks in the sky.
At last the hawks got above the heron, and instantly prepared to pounce upon him.

Seeing his danger, the heron turned on his back, and, with feet and beak pointed upwards to protect himself, fell almost like a stone towards the earth; but more quickly still the hawks darted down upon him.

One the heron with a quick movement literally impaled upon his sharp bill; but the other planted his talons in his breast, and, rending and tearing at his neck, the three birds fell together, with a crash, to the earth.
The flight had been so directly upwards that they fell but a short distance from the pool, and the lads and Adele were quickly upon the spot.

The heron was killed by the fall; and to Rupert's grief; one of his hawks was also dead, pierced through and through by the heron's beak.