The feet above them were paddling leisurely along, and the children had no difficulty in quickly catching up to the bird, and, with a triumphant shout, Dick clutched hold of one leg, while Marjorie and Fidge hung on to the other.
There was immediately a great outcry from above the water.
“Help! Help! Fire! Police! Thieves!” cried a voice, and the feet began to kick so violently that the children had quite a difficulty to keep their hold.
"The Dodo tried to follow their example."
In response to the cries a number of other birds came flying to the rescue, and “splush,” “splash,” sounded on all sides as they settled down on the water.
“What is the matter?” cried several voices at once.
“Oh!” cried the bird which the children had captured, beating his wings about violently, and creating a terrible confusion, “a crab or something has caught hold of my legs, and I am being killed—help!—save me!—save me!”
A confused sound of voices followed, and presently one or two heads appeared below the water; they were hastily withdrawn, however, and with an alarmed cry of “Sharks!” the other birds all flew away, leaving their luckless companion to his fate.