THE BLACK DUCK 283 



chored, as a rule, so that one old drake is some- 

 what separated from the rest, and being dis- 

 satisfied and lonesome, he keeps up a continual 

 remonstrant conversation with the rest of his 

 flock. If a bunch of birds is passing never fear 

 but he will see them and find means to let the 

 strangers know of his presence and where- 

 abouts, and they, with a sudden turn from their 

 course, with necks outstretched and wings 

 stiffly set, come in at full speed. Now they turn 

 away, careering around the pond two or three 

 times because the foxy old fellow who leads 

 them is not just suited with the appearance of 

 things, — some small matter of suspicion in his 

 mind, — but next time around a bird or two in 

 the tail of the flock, more hungry than wise, 

 drop out with slanting flight, — then another, 

 and yet more, — until finally the main body 

 comes in like a flight of arrows. Splash! 

 Splash ! They have settled just outside the line 

 of decoys and begin to swim in toward them. 

 Now the gunner waits until they are bunched 

 at a little distance from his *'tolers," which if 

 old hands at the business at once swim away 

 from their visitors, and when his feathered as- 

 sistants are surely safe the gunner pulls trig- 



