720 



Field Sports in Minnesota. 



short space of time. Each of us had one or more shells for just 

 such an emergency as the present. To find and substitute these 

 shells quickly, and without alarming the rapidly approaching geese, 

 is the occasion of our frantic efforts. Those of us who had started 

 out that cool morning enveloped in at least three coats apiece, and 

 had laid them aside from time to time in as many different places, 



were in trouble indeed. W had left his goose ammunition in 



his shell-pouch by the blind, but having walked away a few rods 

 while his dog was pilfering my ducks, he was now making for 

 the coveted shells on all fours, so as not to be visible, with a 

 celerity that would have astonished the many friends of this usually 

 dignified gentleman. 



Three of the huge birds are now heading for my blind, and 

 the rest of the flock veer off in the direction of my comrades. 

 My two expectant setters are already crouching for a spring, 

 when the shell, which I have with some difficulty found, and 

 which I am placing with some nervous trepidation into the 

 opened breech of my gun, begins to stick ; in the haste and 



excitement, I bear hard upon it, 

 but it does not budge a particle. 

 I then attempt to extract the 

 shell ; but no, it sticks as if it 

 had always been there. Though 

 I struggle like a madman in my 

 efforts to dislodge it, I can make 

 no impression, and have the 

 mortification of beholding the 

 geese sail over a rod or two 

 above me, near enough, in fact, 

 to have used even my No. 6 

 shot with deadly effect. " Bang ! 

 bang!" comes a volley from my 

 right, and two of the "old honk- 

 ers" tumble headlong into the 

 lake, displacing at least a barrel of 

 water as they strike the surface. 

 The main flight having passed 

 over, and out of which we 



/ifr/ity 



A TIGHT SHELL. 



