MIXUP WITH THE LAUGHERS 223 



ments, and two birds, separating from their com- 

 panions, swung in ahead of the rest, and, flying 

 very low, seemed bent on going right over the 

 lad's pit. Andy whispered to me to wait for the 

 flock in the rear; so hoping that Rob wouldn't 

 open fire on the two, I pivoted around to the 

 front, when bang, down came the head goose, 

 and bang! his mate followed — as pretty a right 

 and left as the goose-grounds ever saw. They 

 were old birds, with plump breasts almost black 

 with the handsome markings ; and he was proud 

 of them. It was his first double, and I snapped 

 him at Andy's pit as he held them up for inspec- 

 tion. 



For some time there were no more birds in 

 sight. The sun was getting low, and we had 

 concluded that the flight was over, when the last 

 belated string appeared on the horizon. They 

 decoyed beautifully and came up exactly be- 

 tween the pits. When they had almost reached 

 the line and I saw that tragedy was inevitable, I 

 rose and held the finder on them while the two 

 guns roared a volley. Then I snapped, put 

 down the kodak, grabbed up the gun and, 

 swinging around after the flock, brought down 

 the goose on the end of the line. It was only 



