“Gone on to the next patch, uncle,” I whispered; and we went on again, carrying out the same plans; and a finch or two took flight, but nothing more.
Again we went on, and tried a third little clump, but with no better fortune, and we stopped and looked at each other.
“Whatever it was, it is too cunning for us, Nat,” said my uncle, “so we may as well give it up, for we could go on like this till dark.”
“Yes,” I said, with a sigh, “and it’s hot and tiring work.”
“Never mind; let’s go back now,” he said. “We don’t even know what it was the lad saw.”
We began to retrace our steps, keeping a sharp look-out, but seeing nothing but some active lizards sunning themselves among the rocks, and a rattlesnake, which we carefully left at rest; but before we were half-way back to where we had left our companions we came upon them with the spare guns.
“Haven’t you shot it, sir?” asked Pete, staring hard at my uncle.
“No, we have not even seen it, whatever it is,” said my uncle, smiling.
“Wonderful handsome bird, sir, with long blue and green and red and yellow feathers in its tail.”
“Macaw—Ara,” said my uncle; “flying across from tree to tree?”