Produced by Chris Curnow, C.S. Beers and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) [Illustration: THE BOYS HAWKING ON THE BROAD.] THE SWAN AND HER CREW, _OR THE ADVENTURES OF_ THREE YOUNG NATURALISTS AND SPORTSMEN _ON THE BROADS AND RIVERS OF NORFOLK_. BY G. CHRISTOPHER DAVIES, AUTHOR OF "MOUNTAIN, MEADOW, AND MERE;" "RAMBLES AND ADVENTURES OF OUR SCHOOL FIELD CLUB;" "ANGLING IDYLLS;" ETC., ETC. SECOND EDITION. _WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS._ London: FREDERICK WARNE AND CO., BEDFORD STREET, STRAND. NEW YORK:--SCRIBNER, WELFORD AND ARMSTRONG. LONDON: R. CLAY, SONS, AND TAYLOR, PRINTERS, BREAD STREET HILL, QUEEN VICTORIA STREET. PREFACE. A preface is like the bow of an actor when he comes on the stage, or like the hand-shaking of two friends when they meet--the prelude to the entertainment, or the friendly conversation. I suppose, therefore, I must follow the fashion, and say, "How d'ye do?" in this way. I hope the answer will be, "Quite well, thank you, and much the better for seeing you." In a book of similar character to this one, which I published a short time ago, I offered to reply to any questions which any of my young readers, who wished for further information upon any of the subjects mentioned in that book, might put to me, by means of letters addressed to me, to the care of the publishers. I then had the pleasure of answering many such letters, and I now repeat the offer to the readers of this book. I am indebted to my friend Mr. William Whitwell, of Oxford, who is, like myself, a lover of boys, for the chapter on the "LIFE OF A FERN." CONTENTS. PAGE CHAPTER I. Greeting.--The Broad District.--Hickling Broad.--Felling a Tree.--Dodging the Swallows.--Shooting the Crossbills.--The Boat-house. 1 CHAPTER II. Stuffing the Crossbills.--The proposed Yacht.--An impaled Woodcock. 8 CHAPTER III. A Momentous Decision. 13 CHAPTER IV. Digging for Pupæ.--Dick Carleton.--Metamorphoses of Butterfly. 14 CHAPTER V. Building the Yacht.--The Launch.--Great Crested Grebe's nest.--A floating Coot's nest.--Golden Crested Wrens.-- Their Migration.--The Flight of a Heron. 20 CHAPTER VI. Mr. Meredith.--"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might."--A Botanical Lecture.--The Goat Moth.--Blowing up a Tree.--An astonished Cow.--Caterpillars in the Wood. 31 CHAPTER VII. A Trial Sail.--Preparing for a Cruise.--Charging a Reed Bed.--An explosion of Birds.--The First Adventure.-- Orange-Tip Butterfly.--No Salt.--How Salt is obtained. 36 CHAPTER VIII. An Eerie Night.--A Ghostly Apparition.--The Barn Owl.--A Will-o'-the-Wisp.--The Ruff and Reeve.--Snaring Ruffs.--A Nest.--Wroxham Broad.--Mud-boards and Leaping-pole.--Wild Duck's Nest in a Tree. 43 CHAPTER IX. Chameleon.--Light-coloured Eggs.--Sitting Birds have no Scent.--Forget-me-nots.--Trespassing.--The Owner.--A Chase.--Capture.--Pintail Duck.--Drumming of Snipe.--Swallow-tail Butterfly.--A Perilous Adventure. 51 CHAPTER X. Moonlight.--Instinct and Reason.--Death's Head Moth.-- Bittern.--Water-rail.--Quail.--Golden Plover.--Hen-Harrier and Weasel.--Preserving Bird-skins. 63 CHAPTER XI. To the Rescue.--A Long-tailed Tit's Nest.--A Shower of Feathers. 75 CHAPTER XII. Yarmouth.--The "Rows."--A Stiff Breeze.--An Exciting Sail.--Sparrow-hawk's Nest.--A Nasty Fall.--Long-eared Owl.--Partridge.--Sandpiper. 79 CHAPTER XIII. A Grizzly Bear.--Gossamers.--Strike only on the Box. 88 CHAPTER XIV. Oulton Broad.--Lateeners.--Lowestoft.--Ringed Plover's Nest.--Oyster-catcher.--Shore-fishing.--A Perilous Sail. 92 CHAPTER XV. Animals which never die.--A Wonderful Tip to his Tail.-- Thunderstorm.--Swan's Nest.--Bearded Tit.--Reed-wrens and Cuckoo. 97 CHAPTER XVI. Old School-fellows.--Tom-Tit's Nest in Boot.--Nuthatch.-- Wryneck.--Ant-hill.--Marsh-Tit.--A Comical Fix. 104 CHAPTER XVII. The Boat-race.--Winning.--Mr. Marston.--Nightingale and Nest.--The noise of the Nightingales. 113 CHAPTER XVIII. A queer Umbrella.--Visit to Scoulton Gullery.--Driving Tandem.--Running away.--Black-headed Gulls.--Collecting the Eggs.--Carp.--Wood Argus Butterfly.--Scarlet Pimpernel.--Grasshopper Warbler.--Chiff-Chaff.--Gall-Fly.-- Robins' Pincushions. 121 CHAPTER XIX. Back again.--Taken in Tow.--Bobbing for Eels.--Glow-worms.-- Home.--Urticating Caterpillars. 132 CHAPTER XX. Golden Oriole.--Landrail.--House-martins in Trouble.-- Siskin.--Peacock and Red Admiral Butterflies.--Winchat's Nest.--Bitten by a Viper.--Viper and Snake.--Slow-worm. 137 CHAPTER XXI. Fishing.--Jimmy's Dodge.--Bream-fishing.--Good Sport.-- Fecundity of Fish.--Balance Float.--Fish-hatching.--Edith Rose.--A Night Sail. 149 CHAPTER XXII. Calling for Landrails.--Landrail Shamming Death.-- Yellow-Under-wing Moth and Wasp.--Dragon-Fly and Butterfly.--Stink-horn Fungus.--Sundew. 158 CHAPTER XXIII. Setting Night-Lines.--An Encounter with Poachers. 161 CHAPTER XXIV. Water Insects.--Aquaria. 165 CHAPTER XXV. Making a Fern Case.--Ferns.--Harvest Mouse.--Mole.-- Ladybird.--Grasses. 176 CHAPTER XXVI. The Life of a Fern. 185 CHAPTER XXVII. On the "War-path."--Rabbit-shooting.--Flapper-shooting.-- Duck-shooting.--Wood-pigeons.--Life in an Oak-tree.-- Burying-beetles.--Lace-wing Fly.--Stag-beetle.--Hair-worm. 194 CHAPTER XXVIII. Purple Emperor.--His taste for Carrion.--Woodpecker.-- Blue and Small Copper Butterflies.--Buff-tip Moth.--Moths at Ivy.--Strange-looking Caterpillars. 202 CHAPTER XXIX. How to Attract Perch.--Perch-fishing.--Pike.--Good Sport.--Plaster Casts.--Model Eggs. 209 CHAPTER XXX. Eel-fishing.--Setting the Nets.--Elvers.--The Merivale Float. 214 CHAPTER XXXI. Hawking. 220 CHAPTER XXXII. Heron-hawking.--Great Bustard.--Stock-Dove in Rabbit-hole.--"Dowe" Dogs.--Search for Bustard's Egg. 227 CHAPTER XXXIII. Water-hen swallowed by Pike.--Casting-net.--Trapping Water-hen for Bait.--A Monster Pike. 235 CHAPTER XXXIV. Fishing on Stilts.--A Capsize.--Wild-fowl Shooting.-- A Flare-up. 239 CHAPTER XXXV. Punt-shooting on Breydon.--A Narrow Escape. 242 CHAPTER XXXVI. Drifted to Sea.--A Perilous Position.--Rescue. 246 CHAPTER XXXVII. The Broad Frozen.--Skating.--Fish Frozen in Ice.--Birds Frozen to the Ice.--Ice Ships. 249 CHAPTER XXXVIII. The Thaw.--Cromer.--Prehistoric Remains. 251 CHAPTER XXXIX. The Boys' Note Book. 253 CHAPTER XL. The Regatta.--The "Waterlog's" Victory. 259 CHAPTER XLI. The Conclusion. 264 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE THE BOYS HAWKING ON THE BROAD _Front._ CROSSBILL 9 WOODCOCK 12 METAMORPHOSES OF BUTTERFLY 16 THE PARK IN SUMMER 17 WHITE HAWTHORN BUTTERFLY 19 BUILDING THE BOAT 22 A YARMOUTH YAWL 24 THE COMMON COOT 28 COMMON WREN AND EGG 29 HERON 30 ORANGE-TIP BUTTERFLY 40 THE BARN-OWL AND EGG 44 WILD DUCK 50 ROACH 52 CHAMELEON 53 REDBREAST AND EGG 55 YACHT 57 COMMON SNIPE 60 SWALLOW-TAIL BUTTERFLY 61 MOONLIGHT SCENE 64 DEATH'S-HEAD MOTH 65 BITTERN 66 WATER-RAIL 68 AFRICAN BUSH QUAIL 69 NEST OF GOLDEN PLOVER 71 HEN-HARRIER 74 WEASEL 74 LONG-TAILED TIT AND EGG 78 SPARROW-HAWK 82 LONG-EARED OWL 84 COMMON PARTRIDGE 85 EGG OF COMMON PARTRIDGE 86 COMMON SANDPIPER 87 LATEEN SAIL 92 RINGED PLOVER 94 OYSTER-CATCHER 95 SWAN'S NEST 100 SWAN 101 CUCKOO AND EGG 103 TOM-TIT AND EGG 106 NUTHATCH 107 WRYNECK 108 WORKING ANT AND PORTION OF ANT-HILL 109 EGG OF WRYNECK 110 MARSH-TIT AND EGG 111 PAIR-OARED BOAT 116 MR. MARSTON'S HOUSE 117 NIGHTINGALE 119 NIGHTINGALE'S NEST 120 COMMON GULL 126 YOUNG GULLS COVERED WITH DOWN 127 CARP 128 CHIFF-CHAFF 130 OAK-GALL FLY 131 GLOW-WORM 136 ORIOLE 138 NEST OF AMERICAN SPECIES OF ORIOLE 139 LANDRAIL OR CORNCRAKE 140 HOUSE-MARTIN 141 SISKIN 141 PEACOCK BUTTERFLY, CHRYSALIS, AND CATERPILLAR 142 RED ADMIRAL BUTTERFLY 143 WINCHAT AND EGG 144 VIPER 145 COMMON RINGED SNAKE 146 SLOW-WORM 148 BREAM 150 ANGLING 153 TROUT 155 DRAGON-FLY 159 METAMORPHOSES OF FLESH-FLY 166 WATER-BEETLE 166 PUPA AND COMPOUND EYE OF DRAGON-FLY 167 LARVA OF GNAT. ESCAPE OF GNAT FROM ITS PUPA-CASE 167 METAMORPHOSES OF PLUMED GNAT 168 PUPA-CASE, LARVA, AND FLY OF CADDIS-WORM 169 MINNOW 170 SMOOTH NEWT 171 METAMORPHOSES OF NEWT 172 WATER-FLEAS AND ANIMALCULÆ IN DROP OF WATER AS SEEN UNDER THE MICROSCOPE 173 FRESH-WATER AQUARIUM 174 METAMORPHOSES OF FROG 175 SEA-WATER AQUARIUM 176 WALL SPLEENWORT 177 FORKED SPLEENWORT 177 GREEN SPLEENWORT 177 OAK FERN 178 FRUCTIFICATION OF FERNS 179 WALL RUE, JERSEY FERN, MARSH FERN 180 HARVEST MOUSE AND NEST 181 MOLE 182 LADYBIRD AND ITS STAGES 183 FERN SPORES 187 SCALY SPLEENWORT OR "RUSTY BACK" 191 WILSON'S FILMY-FERN, TUNBRIDGE FILMY-FERN 192 WILD RABBITS 195 WOOD-PIGEON 197 SUSPENDED LEAF TENTS 198 LACE-WINGED FLY 200 STAG-HORNED PRIONUS AND DIAMOND BEETLE 201 GREEN WOODPECKER 204 BLUE BUTTERFLY 204 THE HAUNT OF THE PURPLE EMPEROR 205 PERCH AND GUDGEON 211 PIKE 212 EELS 218 APPARATUS USED IN HAWKING 221 COMMON HERON 228 GREAT BUSTARD 230 DOVES 231 WILD DUCK SHOOTING 244 MOLE CRICKET 254 COMMON LIZARD 255 OSPREY 256 GREAT CRESTED GREBE 256 WHITE ANTS' NEST, ANTS, ETC. 257 HEDGEHOG 258 HONEY BUZZARD 258 The Swan and her Crew. CHAPTER I. Greeting.--The Broad District.--Hickling Broad.-- Felling a Tree.--Dodging the Swallows.-- Shooting the Crossbills.--The Boat-house. With the same feeling of pleasure which one experiences when one writes to an old friend, I commence to write this new book, which I hope will be read by many a boy friend. It is very pleasant to an author to feel that he has a large circle of acquaintances whom he has never seen, and who know him only through his books. It should be his aim and endeavour to extend that circle of friends, and to increase the good feeling which they bear towards him. Therefore, my dear boys, I hope that after reading this book which I now submit to your approval, you will conceive as affectionate a regard for me as I have for you. This is a story of sport and adventure, natural history and science, and the movers in it are three boys just like yourselves; and that you may understand the better what they did, I shall first describe the scene of their exploits. It is the eastern part of Norfolk, and no better place could be found as a field for the doings of three enterprising young naturalists and sportsmen. It is known as the "Broad District," and it consists almost entirely of lake, river, and marsh. If we take Yarmouth on the sea-coast as the starting-point, and look inland, we shall see first of all a large tidal lake known as Breydon Water. From this radiate three rivers going north-west, west, and south-west. The chief of them is the Yare, which winds for thirty miles inward to the old city of Norwich. On our right is the river Bure, or North River, which after a very long and winding course leaves the marsh, and enters a richly-wooded country. To the south is the Waveney, a clear and beautiful stream, which flows past Beccles and Bungay, two towns in Suffolk. All these rivers are slow of current, wide and navigable not only for yachts, but for vessels of large burden, such as wherries, billy-boys, and small steamers. The banks of the rivers are fringed with tall reeds, and they flow through miles of level marsh, where, as far as the eye can reach, there is nothing to be seen but the white sails of the yachts and the dark sails of the wherries, and occasional windmills which are used for pumping the water out of the drains into the rivers. In order to deepen the channel of the river for the purposes of navigation, the embankments have been raised so high that the surface of the water is much above the level of the drains which carry the water off the surrounding marshes, and so the water has to be pumped into the river out of the drains by means of pumps set in action by windmills. Here and there amid the wide extent of marsh are large lakes or lagoons, which are locally termed "broads." These are very numerous and many of them very large. Most of them are connected with one or other of the rivers. Those on the Yare, are Surlingham and Rockland Broads; on the Bure, or connected with it by long dykes, are Filby and Ormesby Broads, Walsham, Ranworth, Hoveton, Wroxham, Barton, Martham and Hickling Broads, and Heigham Sounds. All these broads are full of fish, large pike and perch, and shoals of enormous bream. They are all very shallow, and are surrounded by dense aquatic vegetation, reeds, rushes, flags and bulrushes, and these are the haunts of many rare birds, and swarm with wild-fowl. The great characteristic of this part of the county is its utter loneliness and wildness, both qualities which are of especial interest to the sportsman and naturalist. As it is also the most eastern county of England, it is the first to receive many of the rarer migrants on their passage to our shores, and more rare birds are caught there each year than in any other part of our "tight little island." It is on the shores of Hickling Broad, and on a bright December day, the first of the Christmas holidays, that our story opens. A tall large-limbed boy, about sixteen years of age, yellow-haired, and blue-eyed, stands with his hands in his pockets, looking over the waste of waters on which the wavelets are dancing before a fresh breeze. His name is Frank Merivale, and he appears deep in thought. The broad waters he is gazing over are lonely and deserted save for occasional flights of wild-fowl, a marshman slowly pulling his boat across, and a wherry (as a Norfolk sailing barge is called) beating to windward along the broad, making very slow tacks to and fro, the reason of which would not be apparent to one who did not know the broad. Why does she not take long stretches which would take her more swiftly on her course? The reason is this, the broad is not more than three feet deep all over, save for a narrow channel in the middle, which is marked out by posts at long intervals, and if the wherry forsook this channel she would run aground. The Norfolk wherries are of very peculiar build and graceful appearance. They are long, low, and shallow, rather flat-bottomed, but fine and sharp in the stem and stern, which gives them a good hold of the water. They have one mast, stepped well forward and weighted at the foot so that it can be lowered to pass under bridges, and be easily raised again. This mast supports one immense sail, tanned black or red-brown. They sail wonderfully fast, even rivalling the yachts in their speed, and they can go very close to the wind. They are generally worked by two men, who live and sleep in the little cabin astern. We left Frank Merivale very much absorbed in thought. All at once a happy thought seemed to strike him, for he started from his reverie, and began to execute a step something between a walk and a war-dance. A clump of rushes put an untimely end to this by tripping him up, and causing him to measure his length upon the ground. With philosophical composure he picked himself up, and walked off, whistling merrily, towards a fir copse which stood upon the crest of a rising, lying above. We should say that while the flat marsh stretches between Hickling Broad and the sea, to the westward and inland the country is diversified with woods, and slight elevations forming a very pretty sylvan district. Reaching the fir-wood Frank entered it, and after looking about for a little time, he fixed upon a tall slender young larch-tree. He walked round and round it, and examined it critically, finally lying down on his back at its foot, and, with his eye close to its stem, glanced up it to see if it were perfectly straight. Satisfied on this point, he took out a large clasp-knife, and marked the trunk with a huge cross. Then he crossed the hedge and took his way through a large park, until he came to a paddock and pleasant house nestling among some large lime-trees, and surrounded by croquet lawns and well-kept gardens. It was an old house, built with many wings and projections and in many styles of architecture, the most prominent of which was a heavily-timbered Elizabethan style. Around the two principal sides of the house ran a wooden veranda, which in summer was luxuriantly hung with roses. This was Frank Merivale's home, and vaulting over the gate which separated the paddock from the lawn, he went into the house. Coming down the broad staircase into the hall, he met his two sisters; the eldest, a girl of thirteen, was like her brother, blue eyed and yellow-haired, with a face full of fun and mischief. Her name was Mary. The younger sister bore the same strong family likeness and was barely eleven. "Well, merry Mary Merivale," said Frank, "is the pater in?" "Yes, Frank, he is in the library." "That's all right; and where are you going?" "We are going to dig pupæ for you," answered Mary. "Then you are a good little woman," replied Frank, catching her round the waist, and giving her a kiss. "Have you got a mat to kneel upon, so as not to catch cold?" "Yes, we have got a mat and a trowel, in this basket, and we mean to get you a lot of moths. Don't we, Florrie?" "Yes, ever so many." Frank went along the passage, and entered the library. Mr. Merivale was seated at the table writing. He was a pale and studious-looking man, with a very kind and genial expression of face. He owned a small estate on the shores of the Broad, and was a deep thinker and scholarly writer, writing books which were intended chiefly for college libraries. He looked up as his son entered, and said,-- "Well, Frank, what is it?" "Please father, my birthday is next week." "I had not forgotten it, my boy." "Well, sir, I suppose you are going to give me a present of some sort as usual, and I thought, if you don't mind, that I should like to choose my present this time for myself." "If you choose wisely, you shall have what you wish, Frank." "Well, sir, all that I want is that you should let me have one of the straight young larches by the Broad. I want to cut it down at once that it may season by the spring." "It is rather a strange birthday present, Frank, but you may have it, in addition to the one your mother and I were about to get you, which was Morris's _British Birds_." "Oh, father, I am so glad. That is just the book I have been wanting." Mr. Merivale did not ask his son what the larch-tree was for. He thought that if Frank wished him to know he would have told him at once. He had a most perfect trust in his children, and he delighted to let them see that he had this trust in them. Hence it was their pride to deserve the confidence placed in them, and a happier family was not to be found in all Norfolk. Mr. Merivale supposed his son had good reasons for not making him a confidant in the matter of the larch-tree, so forbore to ask him. Frank quickly made his way to the outbuildings, where he obtained a couple of axes and a long rope. Laden with these he set off along a thickly-hedged lane until he came to a cottage, set far back in an old-fashioned garden. Here lived Jimmy Brett, his great friend, a boy about the same age as himself, who lived with his grandmother, Mrs. Brett, in this quiet little cottage. As Frank went up the garden walk he saw Jimmy perched on a ladder, engaged in painting a long board, a foot wide, which he had fixed up the whole length of the front of the cottage, just below the bed-room window. "What on earth is that for, Jimmy?" cried Frank, in astonishment. Jimmy turned round, revealing himself as a slight, pale-faced lad, with an eager and intelligent countenance, and replied-- "Well, you see, the swallows build in such great numbers in these wide old-fashioned eaves that they are rather a nuisance, and grandmother does not like the mess they make of the door-steps and windows below, so I thought if I put a board all the way along beneath their nests it would do away with the nuisance." "That is a clever idea, Jimmy; but do you not think that the swallows will build _below_ the board next year. They will think you put it there just on purpose for them." "I never thought of that, Frank," replied Jimmy, looking rather blank; "but now you mention it I think it is likely enough they will;" and by way of parenthesis I may say that next spring the swallows and house-martins did build under the new board in great numbers, and so frustrated Jimmy's plan altogether. "What are you going to do with those axes and that rope, Frank?" "Come and see; but first finish your painting, while I go in and see the grandmother." As the two boys walked off to the fir-copse, Frank told his friend that he meant to cut down the tree, but he would not tell him what it was that he wanted it for, and Jimmy's curiosity was provoked to a great degree. When they reached the wood they proceeded to the tree which Frank had marked, and Jimmy was sent up to fasten the rope to the top of it. Then while Frank took off his coat and applied the axe vigorously to the bottom of the tree, making the chips fly in all directions, Jimmy took the other end of the rope over the fence, and kept a steady pull upon it. At last the tree began to creak and groan, and then fell over with a crash. Jimmy then took the other axe, and the two began to lop off the branches. This was a long job, and when it was finished they were very warm and tired, and sat down to rest for a while on the fallen tree. A clicking and cracking sound in the wood about them now became audible to their quick ears. It might have been heard before had it not been drowned by the noise of the axes. They looked up, and to their great delight they saw a small flock of birds larger than a green linnet, and with plumage of red, brown, and yellow. They were flitting about the fir-trees, cutting off the fir-cones with their bills, and then holding them on the branches with their claws, and cracking them, and picking out the seeds, producing at the same time the noise which had attracted the attention of the boys. "What are they?" exclaimed Jimmy; "their beaks are hooked, and cross each other. I never saw birds like them before." "They are crossbills, as sure as we are here!" said Frank, excitedly. "Run to the boat-house as quick as you can, while I watch them, and bring the gun." Brett sped off like a deer, while Frank followed the movements of the strange birds with interest. Jimmy returned with the gun, and quite out of breath. "Now," said Frank, "from the difference in colour there are evidently males and females here, and we must get one of each; and we must do it without disturbing the others, as if we don't frighten them they may stay here and breed." They watched for some time before they could get the desired chance, and then two birds flew, toying with each other, to some distance from the rest. They were evidently male and female. Frank put the gun to his shoulder, a report rang through the wood, and both the crossbills, for such they were, fell dead to the ground. Frank might have shot many more, but he was a thorough naturalist, and, as such, he disliked the idea of indiscriminate and useless slaughter. He had procured specimens sufficient, and he humanely let the others go. "Now, Jimmy, we have got a prize. Crossbills are not seen every day. Let us go to the boat-house and skin them, and read something about them in our books." The boat-house, which belonged to Mr. Merivale, stood at the edge of a little bay of the Broad. It was a large, substantial structure, projecting out into the water, and having a large room above, approached by a staircase. This had been appropriated by Frank as his "den," and here it was that he and his friend transacted all their private business, held their natural history meetings, skinned and stuffed birds, and kept their collection of birds' eggs and butterflies. CHAPTER II. Stuffing the Crossbills.--The proposed Yacht.--An impaled Woodcock. Frank led the way up stairs, and unlocking the door they entered the room, and piling up some brushwood in the grate they lit it, and soon had a roaring fire. The room now presented a very cheerful appearance. A large window at one end looked out over the glittering Broad. The room itself was plainly furnished with a few deal chairs and a table, and at one side of it was an old-fashioned bureau, in the drawers of which the boys' natural history collections were stored. Around the room were several shelves, on which were some very creditably stuffed birds, flower-pots filled with mould and covered with gauze bent over cane arches, the use of which will presently appear, and a good number of books on natural history, chiefly of a cheap and popular kind. Frank got out a box containing knife-blades of various sizes fastened into handles of wood, two pairs of scissors, pliers, and other tools useful or necessary for skinning or stuffing birds; while Jimmy Brett took down a book on birds, and turned to the account of the crossbill; and as Frank was busy at one end of the table skinning the birds, Jimmy at the other end kept up a running commentary on his book for the benefit of his friend, in the following manner:-- "There is a lot about crossbills here, Frank. They are rare, but they have been found at different times and in different months of the year in many parts of the kingdom. They vary greatly in size as well as in colour, according to age, sex, and the time of the year. They are yellow, red, green, or brown at different times, so if it were not for their cross bills it would be rather hard to distinguish them. There are two pictures of them here; one has a rose-coloured back and red-brown wings, and the other has a green back and brown wings. The beaks curve and cross each other, and appear to be particularly suited for breaking open the cones of fir-trees and picking out the seeds, and they will cut open apples and other fruit to get at the pips. They come generally in the winter, but often stay until the spring, and then they may breed here, although it is very seldom that their nests are found. They breed in Norway and Sweden, and nest very early in the year, and their nest seems to be like a missel thrush's, and is placed in fir-trees. Their eggs are white with just a touch of blue or green, and spotted with brown spots." [Illustration: CROSSBILL.] "There, that is all that seems to be worth noticing, but we have got a prize worth having. I am afraid they will not stop and breed. There are not enough pine woods about, and they appear to be fond of going from place to place, so that it is not likely they will be here in the spring." While he talked, Frank quickly and skilfully skinned and cleaned the birds, and then he painted the inside of the skins with a solution of corrosive sublimate dissolved in spirits of wine, which is a most excellent preservative and much more cleanly to handle than arsenical soap. Then he loosely stuffed them with cotton-wool, smoothed the feathers, and placed them on a shelf to dry. "Now, Frank," said Jimmy plaintively, "what _are_ you going to do with that young larch-tree? I have been very patient all this time, so you may as well tell me now." "Well, Jimmy, I have thought of a grand idea. You are the inventive genius of us two, and I usually carry things out; but I have invented something now which we must both help to carry out. What do you think of having a yacht, Jimmy--a large yacht, so that we could sail all over the Broad, and down the rivers, and all over the country, and fish and birdnest, and naturalize, and shoot wildfowl to our hearts' content? What do you think of that, my boy?" "It would be an awfully jolly thing, no doubt; but as far as Hickling Broad goes, it is too shallow for any yacht. Why, except in the Channel, it is not more than four feet deep in any part, large as it is; and parts of it are only two feet deep, so that if we had a yacht we should stick fast directly. Besides, how are we to get a yacht?" "Make one." "How? It will be impossible." "We could not make a yacht of the usual shape, and if we could, it would not suit our purposes. What I propose is that we should build a double yacht. Just listen while I explain, and don't interrupt. We will make two long pontoons, pointed at both ends, and connect the two by cross-pieces, on which we can lay a deck and build a small, low cabin. Such a boat would not draw more than a foot of water, and to make her sail to windward we should have a drop keel or centre board, which we could let down or draw up according to the depth of the water. Then I think a lug sail and mizen would suit her best. We will build her ourselves. And inch deal is cheap enough, so it cannot cost so much. I have saved my pocket-money to buy a lot of books, but I can do without them for a time"---- "I have a couple of sovereigns," eagerly interrupted Jimmy. "That is right; then we can do it swimmingly. We will build her in old Bell's yard, and he will lend us what tools we have not got." Jimmy warmly welcomed the idea, and, getting out some paper and pencils, they began to draw plans and estimates of cost with great enthusiasm. "And now," said Frank, "we will go and see Bell and ask him what he thinks of it." Bell was a very eccentric old man, who lived on the shores of a small and winding creek, which ran up from the Broad. By trade he was a tailor, but he united to this the very different occupation of a boat-builder, and filled up his spare time with fishing and shooting wildfowl. He was a close observer of the habits of beasts, birds, and fishes, and was a great favourite with the boys, whose visits he liked and encouraged. Stepping into the boat that lay moored in the boat-house, the two boys rowed across a bend of the Broad and up the creek to his cottage. The old man was at work in his yard, repairing the bottom of a boat, while his old wife might be seen at the window of the house putting the finishing-touches to the Sunday coat of some village beau. "Good morning, Bell; it is a fine day." "Good morning, young master. Yes, it is a fine day, but it will be finer to-morrow. Yon robin sings higher in the poplar this afternoon than he did this morning, and that is a sure sign that finer weather is coming." "I never knew that before," said Frank. "No, you have not lived so long in the world as I have," replied Bell; "but I am glad you have come, for I have a very strange sight to show you. Look here." He went into the cottage, and returned, bringing with him a dry and withered branch, one end of which had been torn and slit, probably by the wind, so that it was a sharp and jagged spike. On the end of this was impaled a fine woodcock, dead of course, and with the sharp piece of wood imbedded in its breast. "Poor thing, how did it get into that fix?" Jimmy exclaimed. "Well, sir, you see it was in this way. The birds, as you know, are now coming from abroad--I can hear great flocks of them at night sometimes as they fly overhead calling to one another--and last night you know was pitch dark, so that this woodcock, coming over at a great speed, flew against this sharp branch in the dark and spiked itself. When I got up this morning I saw it in that oak-tree, and I sent my boy up to cut off the branch, and knowing you would like to have it, I kept it, just as it was." "We are very much obliged to you, Bell, and we will mount it and stuff it, just as it is. It will be an interesting thing to add to our museum, won't it, Jimmy?" "I have often heard of birds flying against the telegraph wires and being killed in the dark, and of their dashing against windows, either attracted by the light, or not seeing the glass, but I have not heard of anything so curious as this. One cannot help feeling sorry for the poor bird. After a long and tiring journey, and expecting to find all its troubles over, to meet with a sad end like this!" [Illustration: WOODCOCK.] The boys then unfolded their plan to Bell. Anything out of the common was sure to interest him, and hence, though he was not so sanguine of success as the boys were, yet he thought it might be done, and offered to help them as much as he could, and to let them use his yard. "There is nothing like making a beginning," said Frank, who was quick and impetuous in action, and he took off his coat and set to work vigorously to clear a space close by the water's edge, where the keel of a yacht might be laid, while Jimmy went through their calculations of cost with Bell. CHAPTER III. A Momentous Decision. When Frank went home one of the servants told him that his father particularly wished to see him in the library as soon as he came in. He went into the library, and found his father and mother both there and looking rather serious. "Sit down, Frank," said his father. "We have something to say to you about which we wish you to think carefully before you decide. Sir Richard Carleton has been here. He is not only a neighbour but a friend of mine, although as I do not go out much we seldom meet each other. He is a widower with one son, a boy about your age. Do you know him?" "Very slightly, sir." "Well, this son of his, Dick Carleton, is very delicate; he has grown very tall and beyond his strength, and the doctor says he must not be sent to a public school. Now at home he has no boy companions, and he is moping himself to death. Sir Richard says he takes no interest in anything; he won't ride or work, and if he goes on like this it will end in a serious illness. What his father wants to do is to arouse in him some interest in his life, and to awake him out of the deadly apathy he is in at present. Sir Richard knows your healthy outdoor mode of life, and your fondness for Natural History and sport, and he thinks you might, if you chose, be the means of making his boy take some interest in the same sort of thing, and if you did so you would in all probability save his son's life. Now what he proposes is this: That you should leave the Grammar School at Norwich, and that his son and you should be placed under the tuition of our Rector until it is time to go to college. Your education would be as well attended to as at Norwich, and your mother and I could have no objection to the arrangement, but we wish you to decide for yourself." Frank's decision was made at once. The life at the Grammar School was very jolly, with its cricket and football and the rowing matches on the river, but if this new arrangement were carried out there would be far better opportunities of building and sailing the projected yacht, and of sporting and naturalizing on the broads and rivers, so he at once answered-- "I shall be very willing to try it, sir; but Jimmy Brett must be included in the arrangement. I could not desert him, and he would be miserable without me at school. It would never do to separate us now, father." "Well, but do you think his grandmother can afford it? It will be more expensive than being at the Grammar School." "Then I tell you what, father and mother: the Rector must only charge Jimmy the same as the Grammar School, and you must make up the difference to him, and I will do with less pocket-money." "You shall not make that sacrifice, darling," said Mrs. Merivale; "we will put that all right, and I will go and see Mrs. Brett in the morning." And so the matter was finally arranged, and that the boys might become well acquainted with each other, Dick Carleton was invited to stay at Mr. Merivale's. But before he comes we will just go back a few hours and follow merry Mary Merivale, as her brother called her, and her younger sister Florrie, on their search for pupæ. CHAPTER IV. Digging for Pupæ.--Dick Carleton.--Metamorphoses of Butterfly. About two miles further inland from Mr. Merivale's and in the midst of a fine and well-wooded country, was Sir Richard Carleton's house. Around it was a park with larger timber trees than were to be found in the rest of the countryside. Mary and Florence Merivale had fixed on this spot as the scene of their labours in the cause of science, as represented by the collections of their brother and Jimmy Brett. Leaving the path, they trespassed boldly in search of suitable trees for their purpose. Frank had told them that the vicinity of houses was the best, because moths, in all probability attracted by the lights, laid their eggs on trees and shrubs near houses. So the two girls went up as near the large house as they thought they might venture without being seen, and commenced their search. A tall youth strolling languidly down a path through the woods saw two kneeling figures in red cloaks at the foot of a large willow-tree, and their movements aroused his curiosity, and while he stands looking at them let us say what manner of boy Dick Carleton is. He is very tall and thin, but he has a figure that only wants filling out to be handsome. He has a very beautiful face and head, and curly brown hair. His large dark eyes and pale complexion make him look more delicate than he really is, but he is afflicted with a listless melancholy that shows itself in every movement. It was this melancholy which had aroused his father's fears, and it was plain that if it were not checked in time grave results might follow. He stood for some time looking at the two girls, wishing to ask what they were doing, but too shy to do so. At last Mary caught sight of him, and rising, she said-- "I hope we are not trespassing?" "You are trespassing, but it does not matter," replied Dick, taking off his hat. "But may I ask what you are doing?" "We are digging for pupæ," answered Mary. "And what are pupæ?" "Don't you know?" asked Mary in surprise. "No." "Why they come into moths. The moth lays its egg, the eggs turn into caterpillars, which feed on leaves and trees, and then turn into these things," and she then showed him five or six large red cylindrical objects which she had in her basket. "When the spring comes these will turn into moths." "How wonderful," said Dick. "I did not know that before; but if the caterpillars feed on leaves, how is it that you dig those from the ground?" "The caterpillars of some moths go into the earth before they change into the pupæ state. I do not know why: I suppose they think it safer." "Where did you learn all this?" said Dick, his eyes lighting up with a new life and interest at this first glimpse of what was to him a new and strange world. "From my brother Frank and Jimmy Brett. They are making collections, and we are helping them as much as we can. My brother is Frank Merivale, and I am Mary Merivale." "And my name is Carleton; but please tell me more about these things. Will they turn into white butterflies?" "They won't turn into butterflies at all, but into moths, great ugly things with thick bodies; only Frank and Jimmy like them." [Illustration: METAMORPHOSES OF BUTTERFLY.] "I should like to find some if you will show me how to dig for them. I suppose if I keep them they will turn into moths some time." [Illustration: THE PARK IN SUMMER.] "Yes; put them into a flower-pot full of mould and keep it rather damp, and put something over so that the moths sha'n't fly away, and in the spring they will come out; but it is prettiest to see butterflies come out. They split open the chrysalis at the back of its neck and creep out, but their wings are all shrivelled up to nothing, and they climb up the side of the box, and then their wings spread out, and get so large and beautiful! I could find you plenty of the chrysalides of the white butterflies by your greenhouses, but if you want moths, take this trowel and dig around the other side of this tree about three inches from it and three inches deep. They do not breed on all trees; we have tried five to-day and found nothing, but at this one we have got twelve." More amused and interested than he had ever been before, Dick knelt down and began to dig. Very soon he found a large chrysalis, and, encouraged by this success, he dug more vigorously, and very soon he had found five, while the girls had increased their spoils to sixteen. "Now, Miss Merivale, will you come to the greenhouses and show me how to get some butterfly chrysalides? I shall be very glad if you will, and I should like to introduce you to my father, and I will ask him to ask your brother here, then he could tell me more about these things." [Illustration: WHITE HAWTHORN BUTTERFLY.] Mary hesitated, but Florrie said, "Oh, do go, Mary;" so she consented, and they walked up through the gardens, and Mary showed Dick where to look for the chrysalides of the common white butterfly, which are to be found through the winter attached by a silken thread to the sheltered sides of walls, and under the coping of greenhouses and buildings near the gardens where the caterpillars have fed on the lettuces and cabbages. Sir Richard Carleton was in one of the conservatories, and seeing him, Dick cried out-- "Father, these red things will turn into moths, and these greenish-white ones into butterflies." "Yes, Dick, I know they will." "But you never told me so before, father." "Well, my boy, I never thought it would interest you, but I am very glad it does interest you. This is Mary Merivale, I think. How do you do, my dears? Come into the library all of you, and I will show you some books on butterflies." They went into the house and had some tea and cake, and turned over the pages of a book on entomology with coloured plates, which had lain dusty and forgotten on the shelves until now, and Mary and her sister pointed out to Dick moths and butterflies which their brother and Jimmy had in their collection. Sir Richard saw with delight that the right chord had been touched in his son's mind, and he no longer doubted the success of the experiment he had urged Mr. Merivale to try. The time slipped rapidly away, and when it was high time to go, Mary and Florrie were driven home by Sir Richard's groom, charmed with their visit, and full of praises of Sir Richard and his son. Dick Carleton was eager to know more of entomology, and set to work at once to read about it with an energy he had never displayed for anything before, and the father wrote off to his booksellers to order a newer and more reliable book upon the science than the one he possessed, to be given to Dick. CHAPTER V. Building the Yacht.--The Launch.--Great Crested Grebe's nest.-- A Floating Coot's nest.--Golden Crested Wrens.-- Their Migration.--The Flight of a Heron. When Dick Carleton arrived at Mr. Merivale's to commence the visit which was to initiate the friendship of the boys, Frank and Jimmy were at the boat-house; and as soon as Dick had been welcomed by Mr. and Mrs. Merivale, Mary took him off to the boat-house to introduce him to Frank and Jimmy, and see that he was shown their collections. When they opened the door they saw the two boys busy at the table, with sheets of paper and drawing instruments before them. Dick felt and looked rather shy and nervous, but Frank's hearty greeting put him at his ease. Mary proceeded to do the honour of the place, and walked Dick about from side to side of the room to show him their butterflies and birds' eggs, stuffed birds, and the other natural history curiosities which the boys had collected, while they were followed by Frank and Jimmy, who smiled at her eagerness. They had a very fair collection of eggs, including most of the common kinds, but their collection of butterflies was not so good, as neither Frank nor Jimmy cared so much for entomology as they did for ornithology. "What are all these plans and drawings for?" said Mary, pointing to the litter on the table. "Shall we tell her Jimmy?" said Frank. "Yes, why not? She will know some time, so she may as well know now. Besides, she can help us to make the sails, you know. We sha'n't do the sewing so well as the wood-work." So the great project of the yacht was explained. Mary danced about the room in glee, and already fancied herself sailing about the broad. Dick said-- "If it can be done, it would be the nicest thing one could think of." "It shall be done," said Frank decisively, and Dick looked up at him with admiring envy, and replied-- "Then I will help you all I can, and go shares with you in the expense." "You are a brick," said Frank; "come and look at our plans, and see if you can make any suggestions." Later on, when Frank and Jimmy were left alone, Frank said-- "He'll do, Jimmy." Jimmy said, "Yes," but looked mournful. "What's the matter, Jimmy?" "Two are company, but three are none; and you may like him better than me." Frank's hand descended heavily on his friend's shoulder, and he shook him roughly. "Don't be a fool, Jimmy," was all that he said, but in spite of the rude speech and the rough action, Jimmy saw a meaning beyond, and was quite satisfied. His face grew bright again, and from that time forward a warm friendship existed between the three boys, and was never broken or disturbed by any twinge of jealousy. [Illustration: BUILDING THE BOAT.] They lost no time in commencing to build the boat. The first thing to be done was to make two long pontoons or floats, on which to erect the superstructure of the yacht. This was a comparatively easy matter. They made two long wooden boxes of the following sizes and dimensions. Each box was twenty-four feet long, four feet wide in the middle portion and tapering off at each end to a fine point, and two feet six inches deep. It was made of one-inch deal, and strongly supported and fastened together by ribs and cross-pieces of wood in the interior. The seams were caulked with tow and a mixture of red and white lead, and then covered or protected by slips of wood nailed along them. These two pontoons were then laid on the ground side by side with a space of three feet six inches between their centres. They were then joined together by strong pieces of wood fastened the whole way across, every two feet. On the top of these again, a flooring of planks was laid, and neatly finished off round the edges with a bulwark of rope stretched on iron uprights. On this was erected a cabin three feet six inches in height, nine feet long and seven feet wide. This was fitted with a door at the aft end, and a row of little windows along each side. Inside were two low broad seats, which were also intended to serve as beds when occasion should require. Each pontoon was fitted with a rudder and a helm, and these were connected by a cross-piece of wood, so that both rudders were worked at once. On this cross-piece were two iron loops, that the steersman, holding on by them, might have greater power over the helm. Each pontoon had a strong keel about two inches deep to protect its bottom from injury. Such a keel was not sufficient to enable the boat to sail to windward, so two drop-keels or centre-boards were added, each about seven feet long and two feet six inches deep. These were fixed in a line along the centre two-thirds of
{'title': 'The Swan and Her Crew by G. Christopher Davies', 'source': 'Project Gutenberg', 'lang': 'en'}