The fl oating leaves made excellent cover for
the pair moving slowly below them. Their bodies,
being the green of the clear green sunny water,
looked translucent, their shadows were inconspicuous
among the shadows of the leaves and of the fl at
stones on the sandy bottom. He watched the pair
hover, and then cruise, with an easy fl ick
of fi n shifting direction, assured and
unhurried among the shifting pillars of
the shadows of fl oating alder leaves.
One day soon he'd divide it among his sons.
They could cut cards to settle any disputes. Now
he was content with just coming up here.
a radiance of its own. You could see it
when your state of attention was right.
He replaced the empty thermos and box
in the pack, worked the binoculars back
into their case, and passing the strap over
his head, hung it over his right shoulder so that
the binoculars rested on his left hip. He hoisted
the pack and shrugged into it, buckling