230 WILD FOWL SHOOTING. 
ducks ahead to look out, and they would keep jumping 
out in front of the hunters, from 80 to 200 yards. Jim 
would grab his gun, and say; “Stop rowing, Hans ;” 
but the ducks would always veer just out of reach. 
“ Mighty funny!” said Jim, “ seems to me I never 
saw them so wild, did you?” 
“ I told you vot,” said Hans,‘ I dink ve made a great 
mishtake dot ve didn’t some degoys along pring; den 
ye could half segreted oursellufs in der pushes, or grass, 
and knocked ,m.”’ 
‘Bah! on your decoys,” said Jim with disgust, 
“don’t talk decoys to me, they are a fraud, a nuisance. 
I had some with me once. They got all tangled together 
in the boat, and I nearly froze my hands in picking them 
up.” 
“ Vell, it may be,” said Hans, “ but I notice the ferry 
pest dug shooters use them and lods of them. Lets go 
somevare, for mine pack is almost gebroken mit rowing. 
Pesides, your hunding tog its using me fora pillow, und 
if he don’t quit it, I will him der poat throw ouwit.” 
* Well,” said Jim, * here we are at Mud Lake. Shove 
the boat in the grass, tumble our shells all together in 
that shell box. We want them handy. Its now eleven 
o'clock, and we will get some good shooting. Wish the 
grass was a little higher, so as to hide the boat better , 
but then, they won’t notice that. Say Hans, what did 
you wear that light colored stiffhat for? It makes you 
look like a dude in a wilderness, and the ducks will 
surely see you. Your hair is flaxen: take off your hat, 
then they will take you for a bunch of dried grass, or a 
dead pond-lily.” 
* Say Shim,” said Hans, “ Why did you vare dot plack 
hat? it makes you look like a durdle in a mut-buddle ; 
’ 
