198 MOOSE-HUNTING, SALMON-FISHING, ETC 



kicking, and the next bang tumbled his com- 

 panion. " What a shame to kill them both ! " 

 I hear my tender-hearted reader say. But 

 this warm-hearted old sportsman replies, " It 

 would have been cruel to leave one to wander 

 alone, so he didn't." No. 8 is ready again. 

 My attention is aroused by what sounded like 

 a gun. I listen, when a bang salutes me, 

 followed in a moment with "bang," a pause, 

 " bang." Then looking in the direction of the 

 water, I saw large flocks of both geese and 

 brants on the wing, some of them going to the 

 Gulf ice, more of them circling over and settling 

 on the feeding-ground ; while coming towards 

 me on the way to the channel are three small 

 flocks. The leading flock was very high, the 

 others lower, but not in direct range. They 

 spy the decoys, and are making towards them. 

 " Houk ! hawouk ! " comes the signal ; 

 " Hawouk ! " goes the answer. They swerve 

 towards me, but suddenly check themselves, 

 and continue up the harbour. What occa- 

 sioned that unexpected change ? Those two 

 dead geese lying on the bottom of the blind. 

 I cannot say, reader, " I was very sorry; " for 

 even when gunning there is a little streak of 



