122 The Wild-Fowlers 



the beady optics of a rattler and his fat 

 cheeks flushed with good-humored excite- 

 ment as he back-handed Seth in the ribs 

 and shied his own portly sides down into 

 the little cabin, where now, in place of 

 quilts and blankets and shooting-coats 

 and-boots, among which our merry friends 

 had spent the night, the cozy space 

 beamed in all the glory of a real breakfast 

 table, tiny as it was, with hot and glisten- 

 ing white plates, large round coffee mugs, 

 pans brimful of steaming biscuit, platters 

 of the thinnest brown bacon, and square 

 dishes of golden yellow eggs. 



Breakfast over, the sportsmen hastened 

 on deck, Seth to be taken to the battery 

 first as agreed upon, and his two friends 

 to see him off and settled in the box; 

 Bradley explaining as he emerged from 

 the cabin that next to good actual sport is 

 witnessing others in the play. 



" Now I says," remarked the Captain 

 to Seth, as he helped his young charge 

 into the dingy, " es how 't would be teh 



