"I'm sorry," said Phyllis. "How many have you now?"
"None—but I've had a nibble several times. I think they'd bite better if the sun would go under a cloud."
"Let's eat our lunch now," begged Phyllis. "Perhaps there'll be some clouds by the time we finish."
As they ate Phyllis told her brother about the kingfisher's nest and babies. When they finished the sky was as blue as ever.
"These are halcyon days," said Jack, looking very wise.
"Wh-a-a-t—?" said Phyllis, wholly puzzled and half frightened at the new word.
"Well, you see father told me about them the other day when we were fishing in this same place.
"It seems that long ago when people were not very wise, they believed all sorts of queer things. They told strange stories about the things which they did not understand.
"In those days kingfishers were called halcyons. Some said these birds made nests which floated on the sea.
"As long as these eggs or birdlings were in the nest, the people said, the sea would remain smooth and the weather fair.