"_I'll do it_!" he exclaimed, after considering the question, "if you
will keep watch with your gun for the eagles."
"Of course I'll do _that_," replied the professor, delighted with the
prospect of securing that which he had sought so long in vain.
The preparations for the work were simple. With a basket, furnished
with a lid, slung to his back, in which to secure the eggs or eaglets,
young Hemingway began his laborious and dangerous ascent, while the
professor, gun in hand, watched him from the ground below.
The boy quickly proved the possession of unusual skill as a climber.
With the help of the vines he went steadily upward, hunting secure
places for his feet and testing every support before trusting his
weight to it. Once or twice, the professor thought the lad had made a
mistake and was on the point of paying the penalty, but he never
faltered nor slipped. Higher and higher he ascended until at last the
feat was accomplished, and the very summit reached.
His heart throbbed with pleasure when he discovered two young eagles in
the nest. They were no more than a couple of days old, and he had no
trouble in placing them and a portion of the nest in the basket, which
was again strapped to his back, and, after a brief rest, he started to
descend.
Nothing was seen of the parent eagles, and he was congratulating
himself on his good fortune, when bang went the professor's gun.
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