224 WILD-FOWL AND SEA-FOWL OF GREAT BRITAIN 



I had not the least wish to see what it was like 

 round the corner of that slack-water bay, as it was 

 bad enough here, where the waters, covered with 

 great patches of foam and foam-bells and dirty 

 yellow froth, the churn of the tide, swirled round 

 the sides of the bay. Tangled sea-wrack rose and 

 sank again, like the hair of a drowned woman. It 

 was not a pleasant sight. Then something hit the 

 bottom of the skiff. 



" What's that, Curly, eh ?" 



" On'y a bit o' drift ; look, there 'tis. It's riz up." 

 Then for a moment what looked like a man's arm 

 covered with wrack shot up and down before it 

 went under again. 



" What do ye think on it ? Don't ye feel her 

 shiver ? I shan't go in the wash up o' the gullet. 

 If ye gits a shot 'twill be here, for I ken jist keep 

 her stem on. Look, what's that 'ere bobbin' up and 

 down ? " 



" That's a black duck " (Scoter). 



" Not that thing, t'other," they were Pintails. 

 " I'll drive her a bit nearer. Can't get so werry 

 much closer, else we'll be in the ruck o' the bile-up. 

 Now, watch yer chance, git on 'em if yer ken, fur 

 the tide will bring them to us. Can't git her no 

 closer, an' can't keep her no stiddier." 



Once, twice, the gun was raised, and the finger 

 almost pulled the trigger ; but there was a boil-up 

 of the waters, and great masses of foam and tangle 

 hid the birds. 



" Why don't ye pull ? Can't keep her head on 



