The Wild-Fowlers 15 



the shooters* heads at great height and 

 speed, but their wings whistled so plainly 

 that the old man was startled for a 

 moment. 



" Ha! Mr. and Mrs. Pintail, good 

 morning to you! " laughed the old Doc- 

 tor, as he again glanced in the direction 

 of the bayman, who steadily neared the 

 great flock of fowl on the water. 



* Yes, Peritus," said he in a half whis- 

 per, " there are brant among them, but, 

 as you say, the brant are mostly plentiful 

 in these waters in early spring. The mild 

 weather accounts, perhaps, for these few 

 remaining so late in the season. Hush, 

 boy!" 



As he uttered this sharp warning, his 

 left hand stole softly to Peritus's knee 

 and the two fowlers crouched down lower 

 than ever, grasped their guns nervously, 

 and stared wildly out in the great space 

 beyond the decoys. The birds began to 

 rise, the brant first, as the Doctor pre- 

 dicted, and old Grieb had brought his 



