374 FEATHERED GAME 



thermometer being down out of sight in the 

 glass. Truly, ''They have their reward." It 

 may be game or it may take the form of pneu- 

 monia. 



A common way in this neighborhood is for 

 the gunner to go to the home of some dweller 

 among the outer islands and start out with him. 

 At midnight or a little later the warning hail is 

 heard and out from the blankets you stumble 

 to blink sleepily over a cup of strong coffee and 

 the fuel to keep the inner man in order, then 

 down to the shore to make ready. Cold and 

 still the night, scarce a breath of air moving 

 over the quiet water, but with regular rise and 

 fall the gently seething swell breaks over the 

 rocks at the mouth of the narrow cove. In- 

 side the rocky barrier small fishing crafts ride 

 at anchor, the water rippling alongside and their 

 masts reflected in the waves show like long, un- 

 dulating serpents. Overhead the moon shows 

 pale and cold, and the stars in the sky are wink- 

 ing down at their reflections in the sea. Anon 

 comes the gentle rustle of the breeze among 

 the pines, so still the night you hear their 

 needles shivering with the cold, and next the 

 rumble and clatter of the decoys, oars and other 



