256 DUCK-SHOOTING. 
‘**- You see, I was watching them come closer and 
closer, and making my calculation to pick out two 
fine ones. I knew the fellow at the head was an 
old gander, and tough; but right behind him came 
two tender, juicy youngsters—altogether the fattest 
and best in the whole flock. Well, it took me some 
time to make this selection, and, letting the old one 
go by, I was just about preparing to knock over the 
two others right and left—and done it I should 
have, because I intended to, you know. Well, I 
put up my gun, and was, about taking aim, and 
was waiting for them to get just in the right po- 
sition—for I was as cool as I am this moment; an 
old hunter like me is not easily flurried. Well, they 
were almost ready, and I was on the point of cut- 
ting them down, when somebody else—bad luck to 
him—-about a hundred yards off, fired into the 
flock. Of course they flirted in every direction, 
and darted about so, that I lost sight of those I 
selected; and how could you expect me to kill any 
others when I had made up my mind to have 
those? You need not laugh because I missed 
with both barrels; I wouldn’t have missed if the 
birds had been in their proper places, where I was 
polnting my gun.” 
So it was that we obtained no geese. But the 
canvas-backs and mallards, in the early morning, 
made up for the deficiency ; and when, towards mid- 
day, they ceased flying, some of our party resolved 
to pole for wood-ducks. 
To do this, as has been heretofore intimated, re- 
