Opening their eyes with a start they saw that the gray dawn was breaking and a sort of morning twilight1 made all objects in the forest distinct, yet not so brilliant as the approaching daylight would. Shadows still lay among the bushes and the thickest branches; but between the trees the spaces were clearly visible.
The children, rudely awakened2 by the riot of noise in their ears, could distinguish the barking of dogs, the shouts of men calling to the brutes4, and the scream of an animal in deep distress5. Immediately after, there was a whirl overhead and the gray owl6 settled on the limb beside their nest.
"They've got her!" she exclaimed, in a trembling, terrified voice. "The men have shot Mrs. 'Possum dead, and the dogs are now tearing her four babies limb from limb!"
"Where are they?" whispered Twinkle, her little heart beating as violently as if the dread7 destroyers had always been her mortal enemies.
"Just below us. Isn't it dreadful? We had such a nice night together, and Mrs. 'Possum was so sweet and loving in caring for her little ones and feeding them! And, just as we were nearly home again, the dogs sprang upon my friend and the men shot her dead. We had not even suspected, until then, that our foes8 were in the forest."
Twinkle and Chubbins craned their necks over the edge of the nest and looked down. On the ground stood a man and a boy, and two great dogs were growling10 fiercely and tearing some bloody11, revolting object with their cruel jaws12.
"Look out!" cried the voice of Wisk, the squirrel. "He's aiming at you—look out!"
They ducked their heads again, just as the gun roared and flamed fire beneath them.
"Oh-h-h!" wailed13 Mrs. Hootaway, fluttering violently beside them. "They struck me that time—the bullet is in my heart. Good-bye, my dears. Remember that—all—is love; all is—love!"
Her voice died away to a whisper, and she toppled from the limb. Twinkle and Chubbins tried to save their dying friend from falling, but the gray owl was so much bigger than they that they could not support the weight of her body. Slowly she sank to the ground and fell upon the earth with a dull sound that was dreadful to hear.
Instantly Twinkle darted14 from the nest and swooped15 downward, alighting on the ground beside the owl's quivering body. A big dog came bounding toward her. The man was reloading his gun, a few paces away.
"Call off your dog!" shouted Twinkle, wildly excited. "How dare you shoot the poor, harmless birds? Call off your dog, I say!"
But, even as she spoke16, the words sounded in her own ears strange and unnatural17, and more like the chirping18 of a bird than the language of men. The hunter either did not hear her or he did not understand her, and the dog snarled19 and bared its wicked teeth as it sprang greedily upon the child-lark20.
Twinkle was too terrified to move. She glared upon the approaching monster helplessly, and it had almost reached her when a black object fell from the skies with the swiftness of a lightning streak21 and struck the dog's back, tearing the flesh with its powerful talons22 and driving a stout23, merciless beak24 straight through the skull25 of the savage26 brute3.
The dog, already dead, straightened out and twitched27 convulsively. The man shouted angrily and sprang upon the huge bird that had slain28 his pet, at the same time swinging his gun like a club.
"Quick!" said the eagle to Twinkle, "mount with me as swiftly as you can."
With the words he rose into the air and Twinkle darted after him, while Chubbins, seeing their flight from his nest, joined them just in time to escape a shot from the boy's deadly gun.
The inquisitive29 squirrel, however, had stuck his head out to see what was happening, and one of the leaden bullets buried itself in his breast. Chubbins saw him fall back into his hollow and heard his agonized30 scream; but he could not stay to help his poor friend. An instant later he had joined the eagle and Twinkle, and was flying as hard and swift as his wonderful lark wings could carry him up, up into the blue sky.
"We are quite safe here, for I am sure no shot from a gun could reach us," said the eagle. "So let us rest upon our wings for a while. How lucky it was that I happened to be around in time to rescue you, my little friends."
"I am very grateful, indeed," answered Twinkle, holding her wings outstretched so that she floated lightly in the air beside her rescuer. "If you had been an instant later, the dog would have killed me."
"Very true," returned the eagle. "I saw your danger while I was in the air, and determined32 to act quickly, although I might myself have been shot by the man had his gun been loaded. But I have noticed that a bold action is often successful because it causes surprise, and the foe9 does not know what to do."
"I'm 'shamed of those people," said Chubbins, indignantly. "What right had they to come to the forest and kill the pretty owl, and the dear little squirrel, and the poor mama 'possum and her babies?"
"They had the right of power," said the eagle, calmly. "It would be a beautiful world were there no destroyers of life in it; but the earth and air and water would then soon become so crowded that there would not be room for them all to exist. Don't blame the men."
"But they are cruel," said Twinkle, "and kill innocent, harmless birds and animals, instead of the wicked ones that could be better spared."
"Cruelty is man's nature," answered the eagle. "Of all created things, men, tigers and snakes are known to be the most cruel. From them we expect no mercy. But now, what shall be our next movement? I suppose it will be best for you to keep away from the forest until the men are gone. Would you like to visit my home, and meet my wife and children?"
"Yes, indeed!" cried Twinkle; "if you will be kind enough to let us."
"It will be a great pleasure to me," said the eagle. "Follow me closely, please."
He began flying again, and they kept at his side. By and by they noticed a bright, rosy33 glow coming from a portion of the forest beneath them.
"What is that?" asked Chubbins.
"It is the place called the Paradise of Birds," answered their conductor. "It is said to be the most beautiful place in all the world, but no one except the Birds of Paradise are allowed to live there. Those favored birds sometimes enter our part of the forest, but we are never allowed to enter theirs."
"I'd like to see that place," said Twinkle.
"Well, you two child-larks are different from all other birds," remarked the eagle, "and for that reason perhaps you would be allowed to visit the paradise that is forbidden the rest of us. If ever I meet one of the beautiful birds that live there, I will ask it to grant you the privilege."
"Do!" said Twinkle and Chubbins, in one eager breath. They flew for a long time, high in the air, but neither of the bird-children seemed to tire in the least. They could not go quite as fast as the eagle, however, who moderated his speed so that they could keep up with him.
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1
twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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2
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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brutes
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| 兽( brute的名词复数 )； 畜生； 残酷无情的人； 兽性 | |
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5
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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owl
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| n.猫头鹰，枭 | |
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7
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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8
foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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10
growling
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| n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼 | |
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11
bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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12
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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13
wailed
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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15
swooped
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| 俯冲，猛冲( swoop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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16
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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17
unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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18
chirping
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| 鸟叫，虫鸣( chirp的现在分词 ) | |
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19
snarled
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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20
lark
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| n.云雀，百灵鸟；n.嬉戏，玩笑；vi.嬉戏 | |
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21
streak
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| n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动 | |
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22
talons
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| n.（尤指猛禽的）爪( talon的名词复数 )；（如爪般的）手指；爪状物；锁簧尖状突出部 | |
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24
beak
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| n.鸟嘴，茶壶嘴，钩形鼻 | |
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skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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26
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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27
twitched
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| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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28
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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29
inquisitive
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| adj.求知欲强的，好奇的，好寻根究底的 | |
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30
agonized
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| v.使（极度）痛苦，折磨( agonize的过去式和过去分词 )；苦斗；苦苦思索；感到极度痛苦 | |
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31
tragic
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| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
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32
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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