174 The Wild-Fowlers 



never bagged by the bungler or him of 

 the cheap iron weapon/* added Doctor 

 Bradley. 



" Now, genelmen," said Captain Grieb, 

 with a rather serious change in his tone 

 of voice, "' your box be ready," and he 

 pointed in the direction of the double bat- 

 tery, now anchored in the same spot the 

 single machine had occupied all morning 

 for Seth's special benefit, but resting with 

 its anchor end facing in just the opposite 

 direction in which the first battery had 

 been put out, owing to the wind, which 

 had swung the decoy fleet around so that 

 they rode heads pointing up the bay in- 

 stead of to the west, as when Seth shot 

 over them. 



But, reader, why prolong the narrative ? 

 The tale is told. The sportsman declares 

 that half the pleasure of a trip afield or 

 afloat is in the preparation, and what our 

 sporting friends have here neglected In 

 this respect my poor pen has tried its best 

 to yield. The fat doctors went forth in 



