THE DROWNED LANDS. 211 



like, and things out was quiet, and every minit or so he'd 

 set up on end, and stickin' his bill up like a musket would 

 quack three or four times. As I looked, I seen a tearin' 

 big flock of black ducks cum. from the north, high up ; 

 they bore around when they got over the cabin, and pre- 

 sently landed down by the side of the wounded duck, 

 and sich a goin' on and duckin' of heads and gabblin' 

 you never heered in all your born days. It was all as 

 plain as a bear's track. The wounded duck was waitin' 

 for its friends ; it knowed jist when it was time fur 'em 

 to come to the very minit, and sot out there to stop 

 them." 



" And I presume the noises they made were mutual 

 inquiries after friends and the compliments of the sea- 

 son," said the Doctor. 



" Asking if there had been much ice in Baffin's Bay 

 the past year," suggested Lou Jackson. 



" There comes another flock," said Jackson, pointing 

 to the horizon. 



" There's a grist of em," said Mike. 



" See how they swerve one way or another ! Look 

 how fast they grow in size ! There must be ten thousand 

 in that flock ! All night they have been travelling and 

 yet not weary !" exclaimed Miss Jackson as the flock 

 came pressing on in a hugh irregular shadow, soughing 

 like the wind, and keeping straight south. 



" Oh, you beauties !" ejaculated the Doctor, looking up 

 at the passing mass of beautiful intelligent life overhead, 

 with his mouth wide open and his body gradually lean- 



