READY AT WORK 125 



he was seen. Beady spied him, and soon got 

 up to him, when the bird tried his diving 

 game again, but this time he had company. 

 When he went under, so did the dog, bringing 

 the duck with him when he came up. All 

 this time the five were lying quietly on the 

 water in front of us, as we thought, dead. 

 Presently, however, one began to show signs 

 of life, and was soon very lively, moving off 

 from us. " Give him a shot, Harry, or we'll 

 lose him before Keady can get to the shore." 

 " I don't like to : we'll shoot him all to pieces ; 

 but Eeady will get him all right." 



We noticed the dog was inclined to land 

 with his bird on the shore below us, and 

 beyond the range of the wounded one working 

 off, so I walked up the shore until he and the 

 wounded bird were in range, when I spoke to 

 him, and he turned towards me. Eight then 

 he spied the fellow swimming, when he gave 

 the one in his mouth an extra bite, dropped 

 him, and started in pursuit. The other saw 

 him coming, went under, and came up with 

 his bill just above the surface. This is a 

 peculiarity of wild birds, that they have the 

 power of weighting or sinking their bodies, so 



