The Wild-Fowlers 127 



broadbill teh th' eastward, git down close- 

 like, now ! ' ' 



And the Captain shoved away from the 

 battery. 



" Don't catch cold, Seth! " yelled Cor- 

 bin from the deck of the Coot y where he 

 looked the picture of comfort as he puffed 

 on his black cigar. 



" Don't shoot all the decoys to pieces, 

 for the Doctor and I want a few for our 

 turn/' called Bradley, as he, too, puffed 

 out the blue smoke of his first Key West 

 of the morning. 



Seth laughed at these playful remarks 

 from his two good friends, but made no 

 retort, being too eager to follow every 

 turn of the flock of ducks the Captain had 

 called his attention to. 



Grieb poled to the sloop, hastily fast- 

 ened the dingy astern, and jumped aboard 

 beside the tiller. Adam, whom the father 

 by some mysterious means signalled to, 

 had the anchor up on the bows, and the 

 craft made away so'west in such short 



