1 6 The Wild-Fowlers 



sloop about so that the clumsy mainsail 

 was flopping wildly in the breeze. 



" Remember, Peritus," whispered the 

 Doctor excitedly to the boy beside him, 

 as three couples and a half of redhead 

 shot by the decoys at a mile-a-minute 

 clip, " don't you move till I tell you! 

 Down, down, on your belly, closer still! " 



Following the redhead came the first 

 two bunches of broadbill, and from then 

 on the wild fowl filed over, around, and 

 on all sides of the decoys and the very 

 blind and its occupants. Poor Peritus 

 was ever on the verge of giving way to 

 the severe strain he was subjected to, and 

 his companion more than once restrained 

 him. 



The scene was a charming one to both 

 the tyro and the experienced man. Brant, 

 broadbill, blackduck, redhead, "coot" 

 (scoter), sprigtail, old squaw, and shel- 

 drake all wheeled by in small platoons, 

 some skimming over the decoys, others 

 far out beyond the head of the stool, 



