place. Grains of corn were scattered all over 
the bottom in the shallow water, and all they 
had to do was to tip up their tails and reach 
down with their bills and get it. The supply 
was unfailing, for it seemed to be renewed daily. 
The pond was alive with thousands of ducks 
that had been drawn hither by the abundance 
of food. One day three horses came wading 
through the shallow water. By the side of 
each horse, but carefully keeping out of sight 
of the wild-fowl, was a man. The ducks, not 
much frightened, swam before them until they 
were massed in front of a queer-looking platform 
on shore. Then suddenly something happened! 
Fifty shot-guns attached to the platform were 
discharged by the pulling of a single string and 
fifty others were likewise fired as the ducks 
with a great roar sprang from the water. Bald- 
pate received such a scare that there is reason 
to believe he never went back to the pond where 
the Mexican plan of “armada shooting” was 
employed. 
Now for the second time Baldpate began 
to grow restless, for spring was coming. He 
236 
