The children raced along the
deck toward the bows, believing that the big bird would alight there.
Their friend, the lookout officer, however, remained at his post.
The big wings of the great sea-eagle beat the air heavily. They were
covered with almost black feathers above while the feathers on the under
side of the wings were pearl-gray, a contrast that Rose said was
"awfully pretty."
"I don't see anything pretty about that poor, struggling bird," said
Russ shortly. "He's hurt bad. I hope he gets here all right, but--Oh!
There he goes!"
It was a fact that the big bird almost fell into the sea, being
weakened. The bow of the _Kammerboy_ swept past the struggling creature.
Russ and Rose lifted a joined complaint:
"Oh, he's drowned! He drowned!"
It was true that the bird was not a water-fowl and, as the officer had
told the children, could not "roost" on the sea. It was not web-footed,
so could not swim. And with an injured wing it was wonderful that it had
kept up as long as it had, for it was now far, far from the shore.
But the bird had wonderful courage. Although plunged into the water and
suffering one wave to break and pour over him, the great bird sprang
into the air once more. He would not give up the fight! Russ and Rose
saw the flashing eyes, the hooked beak parted, and every other evidence
of the creature's putting forth a last remaining effort to reach a
secure resting place for his feet.
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