n6 The Wild-Fowlers 



ever. Fire Island Light, now but a few 

 miles to the east, shone with regular 

 flashes ten times more distinct than when 

 viewed from the creek mouth at Amity- 

 ville, and the boom of the rolling surf 

 came rumbling faintly from the south, 

 like the muffled noise of distant thunder. 



A few minutes later the Captain had 

 brought the dingy and stool boat from 

 the stern to the port side of the Coot, and, 

 with Adam's assistance, was lowering the 

 single ducking battery from the top of the 

 decoy hole to the choppy water's surface. 



Little bunches of broadbill were flitting 

 by in the gray light, now winging swiftly 

 seaward across the bows, again whistling 

 along westward or eastward, off port or 

 starboard, and sometimes scurrying quite 

 overhead in all directions. 



Brant, too, in numberless platoons, 

 were flying by, while thousands upon 

 thousands floated on the water on all 

 sides. 



Flights of black scoter ("coot") that 



