Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 16, 2025
"You great ugly, cowardly hound, if I had you on board the Kestrel, you should be triced up and have five dozen on your bare back." "Haw! haw! haw!" came in a regular chorus this time, for the danger was over. "I'd like to look on while the crew of you were being talked to by the boatswain," cried Hilary, angrily "a set of cowardly loons."
"Have me immediately set at liberty, Sir Henry." "Ah! there you ask an impossibility, my boy. You know what you are supposed to have discovered?" "Yes." "And if you are set at liberty you will of course bring the Kestrel abreast of a certain part of the shore and land your men?" "Of course." "Then is it likely, my dear boy, that these people here will give you the opportunity?
While I watched them suddenly the old bird 'quat, and ran swiftly into the hedge, followed by the rest. A kestrel was hovering in the next meadow: when the beat of his wings ceased he slid forward and downwards, then rose and came over me in a bold curve.
"Yes, all right," said the gentleman addressed, "and all's right. Here." He had thrust his hand into his breast when there was a shout and a cheer as the stout crew of the Kestrel, headed by the gunner and armed with pikes and capstan-bars, charged down upon them. There was a shot or two.
"Which I don't wonder at it, your honour," said Tom Tully, in his low deep growl: "I ain't said not nowt to my messmates, but I'll answer for it as they'll all be willing." "Willing? willing for what?" cried Hilary. "Shove the skipper into the dinghy with two days' provision and water, sir, and let him make the shore, if you'll take command of the little Kestrel."
If it was a kestrel they took little or no notice of it, but if a sparrowhawk made its appearance, instantly the crowd of birds could be seen flying at furious speed towards the nearest flock of sheep, and down into the flock they would fall like a shower of stones and instantly disappear from sight.
The biggest forest in the county now affords no refuge to any hawk above the size of a kestrel. Savernake is extensive enough, one would imagine, for condors to hide in, but it is not so.
He must hover facing the wind, or it would upset him: just as you may often see a rook flung half aback by a sudden gust. Hence has arisen the supposition that a kestrel cannot hover without a wind. The truth is, he can hover in a perfect calm, and no doubt could do so in a room if it were large enough. He requires no current of any kind, neither a horizontal breeze nor an ascending current.
Besides these there were three egrets, the large crane, stork, green heron, and the demoiselle; the English sand-martin, kingfisher, peregrine-falcon, sparrow-hawk, kestrel, and the European vulture: the wild peacock, and jungle-fowl.
He did not believe in having animosities in business matters, as it marred one's judgment. But Wickersham knew enough to be sure that the seed he had planted would bear fruit, and that Kestrel would stake something on the chance. In this he was not deceived. The next day Mr. Kestrel acceded to his plan.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking