Two Days Together 39 



the morning. Arthur contemplated their placid industry regret- 

 fully, sighed, shook his head over the perverse busyness of men 

 who apparently hadn't anything better to do, and with an inde- 

 pendence of spirit marking the man so far master of his soul as 

 not to be drawn by the magnetism of the multitude, calmly lay 

 down, and went to sleep. 



In mid-afternoon. Jay, the pointer, prospecting around the 

 edge of the willow swamp, just back of the messtent, made a 

 point. William, observing it, picked up a gun and strolled over 

 that way. The artist sat still, and painted with one ear a-cock. 

 Presently William's gun spoke. 



"What was it? Get him>" queried the artist, as William 

 came by, noting at the same time that Jay, at his heels, was looking 

 a bit puzzled, as if unable to account for something. 



"No. Jacksnipe," answered William, as he took down the 

 cleaning rod and an oily rag, making ready to clean the gun, 

 though he had fired but one shot, prior to putting it up. 



"Didn't you hold straight?" 



" I did, but a jacksnipe doesn't fly straight." And in succinct 

 phrases the artist was made aware of the jacksnipe's dodging, zig- 

 zag flight at high speed, which makes him one of the most difficult 

 tests for the gunner's skill. 



A heavy thunder-shower and a high wind came up shortly 

 after, in the face of which William, with Fred for oarsman, took 

 the boat, and went prospecting for duck. Driven back to camp 

 by stress of weather they reported nothing, though a large flight 

 of ducks was seen to pass east, north of camp, in late afternoon. 



At sundown the storm ceased. In the east, from the horizon 

 to overhead, and scattering toward the west, there towered a solid 

 bank of deep blue-gray clouds. In thunderously blue depths they 

 filled the heavens, and from a stormy broken gray overhead, down 

 to the eastern horizon they deepened in tone to a gloomy indigo, 

 A scattering rain still sprinkled. In the west the clouds parted, 

 and from the break there came a sudden flood of brilliant golden 

 light which made firs and sagebrush banks rising to the east 

 fairly flame with aureal splendor against the blue depths of the far 

 horizon. At the same instant there sprang forth, crowning it all 

 with a yet more terrible beauty, a perfect rainbow. Its light-born 

 glory, to the eye seeming more than the half circle in height. 



