DOG v. GANDER 131 



headway. His eye was on that gander, and 

 the farther he went the fiercer he became, 

 until he fairly whined with eagerness. Not 

 till they were 300 yards distant could it be 

 decided how the struggle would terminate, 

 for neither seemed to falter, nor did the dog 

 gain any, and I feared that exhausting effort 

 of plunging with no solid bottom to jump 

 from would eventually tire him out, and the 

 bird escape. However, after a time it was 

 very noticeable that the distance between 

 them was lessening rapidly, and that Ready 

 would be the winner. When within 15 

 yards of him, the gander spread himself on 

 the water and faced the dog, making a vicious 

 plunge at him with his beak as he came to 

 him, which sealed his doom, for Eeady jumped, 

 seized him by the neck and soon despatched 

 him. 



Not wanting the dog to retrace the long 

 distance he had gone, I met him at the 

 shore opposite where he captured the gander, 

 and left it there, then went after the dead 

 ones still in the water. When they were all 

 collected and tied together chickens and 

 geese the prospect of having to carry that 



