The Wild-Fowlers 123 



yer good, since yer 've never been in th' 

 sink-box, teh not git on yer topmast 

 when I takes it on m'self teh righten yer 

 a bit 'bout th' thing. Some city fellers 

 comes down here an' haint square 'nough 

 like yer be to afess thet they haint 

 shooted from a machine, an' thems th' 

 kind o' men es I likes teh hev fail teh see 

 haf th' birds es comes along an' amiss th' 

 tother half es they do sees. Yer square 

 'bout th' thing, an' I says I 'd right well 

 alike teh see yer git a nice mess o' birds, 

 brants an' broadbills in 'ticular." 



And the dingy slowly moved off toward 

 the battery and its great flock of imitative 

 wild fowl. 



" Thank you, Captain," responded the 

 young man. !< I freely tell you I have 

 never shot from a battery, nor have I 

 even ever seen one before this day. I '11 

 gladly follow all your advice and thor- 

 oughly appreciate all you do and say in 

 my behalf. ' ' 



" Well, then, Mr. Fieldin', when I gits 



