THE COUNTRY, BOY 91 



was a condor ; he lit in the barnyard and I was 

 astonished that it was a wild goose. Our 

 rooster hit him and he rose and circled and 

 again lit twenty feet from me. I yelled for 

 the neighbor who kept guns and one ran 

 over, resting his gun on the fence and shot him, 

 while I held fast to the team. It was great to 

 think of killing game right in your own barn- 

 yard. I ran to pick him up, when father who 

 was in the orchard yelled at me not to touch 

 him. I said, "We have killed a goose in the 

 barnyard, a wild goose." "No," said he, 

 "don't handle him ; I want to feel of your head 

 first to see if you have any bump of memory." 

 Father said, "Do you see that band of geese fly- 

 ing in a circle next to the hill? You used to 

 tell me you could understand this Mttle goose's 

 language and could talk some of it. If you 

 remember any of it now, go out there as near 

 as they will let you ajDproach them and tell 

 them they need not wait for their friend ; he is 

 never coming back." 



By this time I had realized all. I could 

 recognize his every feature, even to the little 

 black, glossy, soft eyes, which were now half 

 open. Father asked if I saw what had hap- 



