THE SUMMER DUCK. 217 



off me, nor so far ; so I tuck sight right at the big 

 drake's neck. The water was quite clear and still,, and 

 seemed to have caught all the little light as was left by 

 the sun, for the skies had got pretty dark, I tell you ; 

 and I could see his head quite clear agin the water 

 well, I draw'd trigger, and the hull charge ripped into 

 'ern and there was a scrabblin' and a squatterin' in the 

 water now, I tell you but not one on 'em riz not the 

 fust one of the hull bunch; but up jumped both the 

 others, and I draw'd on the drake more by the whistlin' 

 oi his wings, than that I seen him but I drawed stret, 

 Archer, any ways ; and arter I'd pulled half a moment I 

 hard him plump clown in to "the crick witn a splash, and 

 the water sparkled up like a fountain where he fell. So 

 then I did n't wait to load, but ran along the bank as 

 hard as I could strick it, and when I'd got down to the 

 spot, I tell you, little Dash had got two on 'em out afore 

 I came, and was in with a third. Well, sich a cuttin' 

 and a splashin' as there was you nivir did see, none on 

 you I guess, for sartin leastwise I nivir did. I'd 

 killed, you see, the drake and two ducks, dead at the 

 first fire, but three was only wounded, wing-tipped, and 

 leg-broken, and I can't tell you what all. It was all of 

 nine o'clock at night, and'dark as all out doors, afore 

 I gathered them three ducks, but I did gather 'em ; 

 Lord, boys, why I'd stayed till mornin', but I'd a got 

 them, sarten. Well, the drake I killed flyin' I could n't 

 find him that night, no how, for the stream swept him 

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