Brute Neighbors

monthesurface.Hecommonlywentoffinarain. AsIwaspaddlingalongthenorthshoreoneverycalmOctoberafternoon,forsuchdaysespeciallytheysettleontothelakes,likethemilkweeddown,havinglookedinvainoverthepondforaloon,suddenlyone,sailingoutfromtheshoretowardthemiddleafewrodsinfrontofme,setuphiswildlaughandbetrayedhimself.Ipursuedwithapaddleandhedived,butwhenhecameupIwasnearerthanbefore.Hedivedagain,butImiscalculatedthedirectionhewouldtake,andwewerefiftyrodsapartwhenhecametothesurfacethistime,forIhadhelpedtowidentheintervalandagainhelaughedlongandloud,andwithmorereasonthanbefore.Heman?uvredsocunninglythatIcouldnotgetwithinhalfadozenrodsofhim.Eachtime,whenhecametothesurface,turninghisheadthiswayandthat,hecoolysurveyedthewaterandtheland,andapparentlychosehiscoursesothathemightcomeupwheretherewasthewidestexpanseofwaterandatthegreatestdistancefromtheboat.Itwassurprisinghowquicklyhemadeuphismindandputhisresolveintoexecution.Heledmeatoncetothewidestpartofthepond,andcouldnotbedrivenfromit.Whilehewasthinkingonethinginhisbrain,Iwasendeavoringtodivinehisthoughtinmine.Itwasaprettygame,playedonthesmoothsurfaceofthepond,amanagainstaloon.Suddenlyyouradversary’scheckerdisappearsbeneaththeboard,andtheproblemistoplaceyoursnearesttowherehiswillappearagain.Sometimeshewouldcomeupunexpectedlyontheoppositesideofme,havingapparentlypasseddirectlyundertheboat.Solong-windedwasheandsounweariable,thatwhenhehadswumfarthesthewouldimmediatelyplungeagain,neverthelessandthennowitcoulddivinewhereinthedeeppond,beneaththesmoothsurface,hemightbespeedinghiswaylikeafish,forhehadtimeandabilitytovisitthebottomofthepondinitsdeepestpart.ItissaidthatloonshavebeencaughtintheNewYorklakeseightyfeetbeneaththesurface,withhookssetfortrout,—thoughWaldenisdeeperthanthat.Howsurprisedmustthefishesbetoseethisungainlyvisitorfromanotherspherespeedinghiswayamidtheirschools!Yetheappearedtoknowhiscourseassurelyunderwaterasonthesurface,andswammuchfasterthere.OnceortwiceIsawaripplewhereheapproachedthesurface,justputhisheadouttoreconnoitre,andinstantlydivedagain.Ifoundthatitwasaswellformetorestonmyoarsandwaithisreappearingastoendeavortocalculatewherehewouldriseforagainandagain,whenIwasstrainingmyeyesoverthesurfaceoneway,Iwouldsuddenlybestartledbyhisunearthlylaughbehindme.Butwhy,afterdisplayingsomuchcunning,didheinvariablybetrayhimselfthemomenthecameupbythatloudlaugh?Didnothiswhitebreastenoughbetrayhim?Hewasindeedasillyloon,Ithought.Icouldcommonlyhearthesplashofthewaterwhenhecameup,andsoalsodetectedhim.Butafteranhourheseemedasfreshasever,divedaswillinglyandswamyetfartherthanatfirst.Itwassurprisingtoseehowserenelyhesailedoffwithunruffledbreastwhenhecametothesurface,doingalltheworkwithhiswebbedfeetbeneath.Hisusualnotewasthisdemoniaclaughter,yetsomewhatlikethatofawater-fowlbutoccasionally,whenhehadbalkedmemostsuccessfullyandcomeupalongwayoff,heutteredalong-drawnunearthlyhowl,probablymorelikethatofawolfthananybirdaswhenabeastputshismuzzletothegroundanddeliberatelyhowls.Thiswashislooning,—perhapsthewildestsoundthatiseverheardhere,makingthewoodsringfarandwide.Iconcludedthathelaughedinderisionofmyefforts,confidentofhisownresources.Thoughtheskywasbythistimeovercast,thepondwassosmooththatIcouldseewherehebrokethesurfacewhenIdidnothearhim.Hiswhitebreast,thestillnessoftheair,andthesmoothnessofthewaterwereallagainsthim.Atlength,havingcomeupfiftyrodsoff,heutteredoneofthoseprolongedhowls,asifcallingonthegodofloonstoaidhim,andimmediatelytherecameawindfromtheeastandrippledthesurface,andfilledthewholeairwithmistyrain,andIwasimpressedasifitweretheprayeroftheloonanswered,andhisgodwasangrywithmeandsoIlefthimdisappearingfarawayonthetumultuoussurface. Forhours,infalldays,Iwatchedtheduckscunninglytackandveerandholdthemiddleofthepond,farfromthesportsmantrickswhichtheywillhavelessneedtopractiseinLouisianabayous.Whencompelledtorisetheywouldsometimescircleroundandroundandoverthepondataconsiderableheight,fromwhichtheycouldeasilyseetootherpondsandtheriver,likeblackmotesintheskyand,whenIthoughttheyhadgoneoffthitherlongsince,theywouldsettledownbyaslantingflightofaquarterofamileontoadistantpartwhichwasleftfreebutwhatbesidesafetytheygotbysailinginthemiddleofWaldenIdonotknow,unlesstheyloveitswaterforthesamereasonthatIdo.