THE GOOSE THAT WAS 181 



meet them, and our eyes were gladdened with 

 the sight of three geese and three brants, with 

 very encouraging reports of future prospects. 

 The balance of that day was spent in prepara- 

 tions for the next. 



Not being anxious for an accumulation of 

 game in the early part of the cruise, John, 

 our boatman and an A 1 cook, decided to 

 tempt our appetite at tea with a goose stew. 

 It was done up in most savoury style, and we 

 all got ravenous long before our hunger could 

 be satisfied. I need not tell you, reader, how 

 one's appetite grows on a cruise of this kind. 

 Not even six meals a day, with dough-nuts 

 between times, seem to stop the craving. 

 Well, when the meal was over, that goose 

 that was, was not there. 



The next morning found us ready for 

 business as early as it was pleasant to face 

 the frosty wind, and with our ice-boat (Daisy) 

 on the sled, we started off together for the 

 open water. Once at its edge, our glasses 

 exposed to longing eyes several bunches of 

 birds geese, brants, and ducks located all 

 over the opening. As there was no floating ice, 

 the birds, especially the geese, fought shy of 



