latewherehewouldriseforagainandagain,whenIwasstrainingmyeyesoverthesurfaceoneway,Iwouldsuddenlybestartledbyhisunearthlylaughbehindme.Butwhy,afterdisplayingsomuchcunning,didheinvariablybetrayhimselfthemomenthecameupbythatloudlaugh?Didnothiswhitebreastenoughbetrayhim?Hewasindeedasillyloon,Ithought.Icouldcommonlyhearthesplashofthewaterwhenhecameup,andsoalsodetectedhim.Butafteranhourheseemedasfreshasever,divedaswillinglyandswamyetfartherthanatfirst.Itwassurprisingtoseehowserenelyhesailedoffwithunruffledbreastwhenhecametothesurface,doingalltheworkwithhiswebbedfeetbeneath.Hisusualnotewasthisdemoniaclaughter,yetsomewhatlikethatofawater-fowlbutoccasionally,whenhehadbalkedmemostsuccessfullyandcomeupalongwayoff,heutteredalong-drawnunearthlyhowl,probablymorelikethatofawolfthananybirdaswhenabeastputshismuzzletothegroundanddeliberatelyhowls.Thiswashislooning,—perhapsthewildestsoundthatiseverheardhere,makingthewoodsringfarandwide.Iconcludedthathelaughedinderisionofmyefforts,confidentofhisownresources.Thoughtheskywasbythistimeovercast,thepondwassosmooththatIcouldseewherehebrokethesurfacewhenIdidnothearhim.Hiswhitebreast,thestillnessoftheair,andthesmoothnessofthewaterwereallagainsthim.Atlength,havingcomeupfiftyrodsoff,heutteredoneofthoseprolongedhowls,asifcallingonthegodofloonstoaidhim,andimmediatelytherecameawindfromtheeastandrippledthesurface,andfilledthewholeairwithmistyrain,andIwasimpressedasifitweretheprayeroftheloonanswered,andhisgodwasangrywithmeandsoIlefthimdisappearingfarawayonthetumultuoussurface.
Forhours,infalldays,Iwatchedtheduckscunninglytackandveerandholdthemiddleofthepond,farfromthesportsmantrickswhichtheywillhavelessneedtopractiseinLouisianabayous.Whencompelledtorisetheywouldsometimescircleroundandroundandoverthepondataconsiderableheight,fromwhichtheycouldeasilyseetootherpondsandtheriver,likeblackmotesintheskyand,whenIthoughttheyhadgoneoffthitherlongsince,theywouldsettledownbyaslantingflightofaquarterofamileontoadistantpartwhichwasleftfreebutwhatbesidesafetytheygotbysailinginthemiddleofWaldenIdonotknow,unlesstheyloveitswaterforthesamereasonthatIdo.