

"A TALE OF A TUB." 241 



over, and swept the snow into drifts wherever there was anything 

 to arrest its progress. When the snow had ceased, the wind and 

 frost still continued, and wild-fowl in large numbers visited the 

 broad. Dick did not care sufficiently about the shooting to 

 make him willing to face the cold ; but Jimmy and Frank had 

 capital sport among the wild-ducks. They killed the greatest 

 number when the ducks took their morning or evening flight 

 across a reedy spit of land which ran out into the broad. 

 Here the boys had sunk a large cask in the earth, and when 

 they were both hidden in this, packed in with dry straw and a 

 retriever with them, they were warm and comfortable. The 

 whistle of wings cleaving the air, or a cry of wild-fowl in the 

 starlit silence of the night, would arouse them, and, with their 

 heads peering over the top of the cask, they had their guns in 

 readiness to salute the dark objects passing over with a shower 

 of shot. 



In the morning the retriever searched for and picked up the 

 dead birds, and the young gunners finished off the wounded. 

 For four successive nights they enjoyed good sport in this 

 manner, and then it was put an end to by a singular accident. 

 Frank lit a match to see what time it was, and a lighted splinter 

 fell among the dry straw, which instantly blazed up. 



" Look out for the powder ! " shouted Frank ; and he and 

 Jimmy and the dog scrambled out of the cask pell-mell, 

 tumbling over each other in their eagerness to be away from 

 the dangerous proximity of the fire. Frank had the powder- 

 flask in his pocket, and fortunately no fire came near it. The 

 boys too escaped without injury, except that their hair was 

 pretty well singed by the rapid rise of the flame. The retriever 

 was so frightened that he turned tail and bolted, never stopping 

 until he reached his kennel. 



" This is a pretty go," exclaimed Jimmy, as with their guns 

 under their arms they watched the tall, roaring column of flame 

 and smoke which ascended from the burning tub. 



" The people all about will wonder what it is. What a pity 

 we have nothing to hold water in, so that we could try and put 

 it out ! The tub has caught, and will be burnt up." 



The sound of oars was now audible across the water, and 

 presently Dick's voice shouted, 



" What's the matter ? Are you all right ? " and a boat was run 

 ashore, and Dick and Mary, well wrapped up, stepped out. 



R 



