One of the birds had the audacity to seize the meat in its mandibles, jerk it out of the dog's very teeth, and swallow it, before the latter had time to offer either interruption or remonstrance.
The consequence was, that, from that time, Fritz had conceived a most rancorous antipathy towards all birds of the genus _Ciconia_--and the species _Argala_ in particular; and this it was that impelled him, on first perceiving the adjutant--for being by the hut on their arrival he had not seen them before,--to rush open-mouthed towards them, and seize the tail of one of them between his teeth.
It is not necessary to add that the bird, thus indecorously assailed, took to instant flight, followed by its more fortunate though not less frightened mate--leaving Fritz in a temper to treat Marabout feathers as they had never been treated before--even when by the hands of some scorned and jealous vixen they may have been torn from the turban of some hated rival!.