38 AMERICA!^ GAME BIRD SHOOTIKG. 



''That will bring them if they are around here," said 

 he confidently. 



His notes were so exact that I complimented him on 

 his proficiency, and told him he was the best caller I had 

 ever heard. 



''I know I'm good enough at that business," said he 

 slyly; ''if they had a turkey-calling chair vacant in Yale 

 College I think I could take it away from all competi- 

 tors," and, as if to prove his statement, he sounded sev- 

 eral appealing notes, which were delivered in the most 

 endearing manner; but still no response came. After 

 waiting for about ten minutes we heard a sharp yelp, 

 which caused my blood to tingle with pleasant anticipa- 

 tion; but as he did not answer it, I asked him if he had 

 heard it. 



"Of course, I did," he replied, "but that fellow can't 

 call for sour apples. lie ain't much at the business." 



" Wasn't that a turkey, then?" 



" Xo; that was a man who is using a caller. 'No person 

 can fool me unless he can call with his mouth alone, and 

 then he must be good at it. He may fool a turkey, but 

 he can't fool me." 



Onr conversation was disturbed at this point by a 

 series of yelps and rolls and " keouks," but they sounded 

 so badly that even I could tell they were uttered by a 

 person who was not very proficient m the art of calling, 



"That fellow will drive every turkey in the country 

 out of it," exclaimed my companion petulantly, "and 

 we'll only have our pains for our labor." 



" What had we better do, then?" I asked. 



" I know what I'll do," he exclaimed. He then poured 

 forth such a series of erotic appeals, that the gobbler 

 that heard and did not respond to them Avas flinty-hearted 

 indeed, in my estimation. The only response to this, 

 however, was the mocking cry of some ghostly owl, whose 

 repose bad been disturbed by the resonant notes. 



