The Wild-Fowlers 139 



thet ain't teh be; my boy beant edecated 

 further 'n follerin' th' bay/' 



The Captain then related his expe- 

 rience with Seth the previous night 

 as the two sat at the tiller in the moon- 

 light. 



" He to!' me es how he was a-goin' teh 

 shoot No. 8 shot et th' ducks instead of 

 No. 4 or No. 5, es be reg'lar. He said 

 es how I war n't teh tell yer until he was 

 in th' battery, es he 'lowed yer 'd laf et 

 him. By thunder, he be right 'bout th' 

 thing, tho' I mus' afess I thought him 

 wrong et th' time he told me. He sed 

 No. 4 and No. 5 was too big fer broad- 

 bills an' th' tot her ducks, but alright fer 

 the brents an' th' big Kenedy geese. 

 Mister Fieldin' seems to kill alright wi' th' 

 little No. 8 charge though, and his frien', 

 Mr. Loomis, never uses eny shot larger 

 'n No. 8 on broadbills, an', genelmen, Mr. 

 Loomis know him, Burton Loomis, city 

 man ? he be a reg'lar bay shot an' no 

 mistake. I never seed enyone es could 



