THE WIGEON AND POCHARDS 279 



" There's two if not three o' them Frost-backs 

 diving round the old piles. Just cum, I reckins. 

 Cumin', ain't ye ? The water's smooth, and a bit 

 o' fog creeps, but it ain't nothing." 



However, I declined, as I was bruised in various 

 places, through having slipped off those old piles 

 the day before ; in fact, I was what one of my 

 friends called "a crippled fowl." This little matter 

 is explained, but the shooter is not contented with 

 such an explanation. 



" Ye ain't broke nothing, hev ye } " 



"No." 



" Ken ye walk ? " 



"Yes." 



"Well, what's to perwent ye cumin' ?" 



" I can't shoot, I'm too shaky." 



" Nobody wants ye to shoot. Ye ken steer, so 

 cum on. I'll put ye in the starn, and wrap ye up 

 like a babby." 



That comparison with an infant just about did it, 

 as he had no doubt expected, and in no measured 

 terms I told him that I did not feel the least bit 

 dead, finally recommending him to go to a certain 

 place where sulphur can be had at a cheap rate in 

 very large quantities. But he only grinned and said — 



" I knows you'll come now." 



Down I went with him, for like the rest of his 

 class he was a good oarsman. Once he slacked 

 a bit to tell me that his gun was loaded with swan- 

 shot, because, he said, " Them Frost-backs ken take 

 sumthing. Bring her in a bit, will ye, so as she'll 



