THE WILD GOOSE 113 



slightest hesitation. As though the desired spot 

 were right before its eyes, it goes straight forward. 

 The featureless expanse of ocean and the confusing 

 details of the landscape, the halts on the margins of 

 lakes, the damp and obscurity of clouds that have 

 to be traversed, the emotions of terror excited when 

 the ambushed hunter discharges his leaden hail 

 none of these things diverts it from its course. If 

 detours must be made in order to avoid danger or 

 find food, it makes them, however long they may 

 be, and then resumes the right direction without 

 a moment's hesitation. It calculates its speed and 

 regulates its halts so as to arrive neither too early 

 nor too late ; for it knows perfectly the order of the 

 seasons, when the snow melts and when the grass 

 turns green. At last, on a fine day when the first 

 little flowers are just peeping through their snowy 

 shrouds, it reaches its ocean inlet, its little island, 

 its native heath, its cherished nesting-place. 



"I have finished. Now, my friends, which one 

 of you would like to engage in a geography match 

 not with a veteran goose experienced in such voy- 

 ages; you would be too hopelessly outclassed but 

 with the youngest gosling, the merest novice of them 

 all?" 



"On that subject," Jules made answer, "I admit 

 that the youngest gosling knows more than I." 



"And than I," chimed in Louis, and Emile added: 

 "If the goose knew that I can't even find my bear- 

 ings yet on the map, how it would make fun of poor 

 Emile! You will tell us so much about its clever- 



