ffitjree (gotben Cagleg 



ARLY one morning I started out after wild 

 geese. On the previous day I had located 

 several large flocks, noticing where they came in 

 with the tide and rested on the sand banks 

 at high water, cleaning their feathers and sun- 

 ning themselves. On the previous evening, after 

 dark, I had built a blind by digging a hole in 

 the sand and lining it with dead grass and 

 branches, so that it would harmonize with the 

 surroundings. I had to be in my blind before day- 

 light so that the geese would not see me go to 

 it, and this meant a long wait of nearly four 

 hours for high tide. I had provided myself with 

 a heavy light grey blanket, which blended well 

 with the color of the sand, and also possessed the 

 advantage of being more quickly thrown off than 

 an overcoat could be. One feels rather encumbered 

 when shooting with a heavy overcoat on, which, 

 moreover, renders it extremely awkward for 

 shouldering the gun, unless it be one with a short- 

 ened stock. I wrapped myself in the blanket and 

 lay down in the hole, trying to get a few winks 

 of sleep to help the time pass more quickly There 

 were hundreds of geese feeding, and every now 

 and again I would hear the "honk" of some old 

 sentinel, a sort of "all's well." 



