QUACK! QUACK! 219 



house, leaving a signal lantern on the shore. 

 While you are sitting there with them waiting 

 to hear the cannonade open, come with me in 

 the boat, and see the fun there. 



The foolish old ganders, by their incessant 

 " housing " lead us straight to them. The tide 

 being in our favour aids John very materially 

 in overcoming the force of wind, so that we 

 come upon them faster than expected. In a 

 short time we are up to them; they are visible. 

 What a large flock, two hundred at least, and 

 black ducks amongst them, feeding all around ! 

 We are now within 60, 50, 40, 30, 20 yards of 

 them, some so blinded by the intensity of the 

 light that they actually hit the boat, near 

 enough, if we dare to reach out, to take them 

 by the neck. A bunch of duck has sagged 

 to leeward and taken our scent, and up they 

 go " quack ! quack ! quack ! " This starts the 

 geese together. Oh, what chances ! Directly 

 in front of Bac are the dozen he spoke for, 

 with their heads erect, winking at one 

 another as though waiting for him, while he, 

 patient soul, not wishing to spoil the shots 

 of the others, was delaying the slaughter of 

 the innocents, awaiting the signal from Pat, 



