The Wild-Fowlers 35 



fine old bay, boy! The Captain 's a 

 great cook and a great character equal 

 to anything Dickens ever pictured and 

 you must see him. His sloop is a com- 

 fortable old-timer of forty feet, and we '11 

 live sumptuously plenty of oysters right 

 from their beds, clams galore, and fried 

 flounder and eel, broiled fluke, roast 

 duck, and, and well, lots of other good 

 things, including our Key Wests and the 

 Doctor's usual supply of moist material. 

 You need n't actually shoot from the bat- 

 tery. The Captain '11 rig you out on a 

 point for blackduck and sprigtail, and 

 you '11 have great sport. Besides, you '11 

 be able to verify all that your friend For- 

 ester says against the battery. Say, 

 Seth," continued the Doctor in a humor- 

 ous whisper, " they tell me Forester was 

 never in a battery ha ! ha ! you writing 

 cusses cry down pursuits you know no- 

 thing about you go off half cocked. 

 Somebody who can't afford a sloop and 

 battery, and who 's down on somebody 



