MIXUP WITH THE LAUGHERS 215 



some, standing there on the prairie so far from 

 home, and being idle, sets out to amuse himself. 



In consequence, when you return, to be 

 greeted by his glad nickering and reproaching 

 eyes that seem to say, " Why were you gone so 

 long anyway? " you will find that among other 

 things he has torn the top out of a seat cover, 

 crunched the side from the grub-box, and ex- 

 pectorated half-munched oats through the open- 

 ing upon what sandwiches he couldn't reach; 

 drawn the cork and upset the water- jar into the 

 reserve ammunition, and shaken his blanket or 

 robe from his back to the ground, and tramped 

 upon it. 



The geese were in no hurry back to the lake, 

 for doubtless a guzzle of plump wheat has a 

 good, satisfying feeling after the green stuff of 

 the summer in the Arctic regions, and we lay in 

 the warm sun on the stack and watched them. 

 It was my innings now, and after studying them 

 long with the glasses, I could not refrain from 

 remarking that they did slightly resemble mos- 

 quitoes. There were some two hundred 

 laughers and a small flock of black-necked fel- 

 lows, most probably Hutchins. We were a lit- 

 tle surprised to find the former on the threshed 



