DAYS AMONG THE DUCKS. IOI 



teal instead of the foremost at which I had aimed, 

 I thought I had discovered the secret of missing, 

 and that my skill as a quick shot in brush would 

 quickly tell again, as on the two ducks coming 

 from opposite directions. But the nerves that 

 felt only a slight tremor when the ruffed grouse 

 burst roaring from the shady thicket now quaked 

 beneath the storm that suddenly broke from 

 every point of the compass. I found myself the 

 converging point of innumerable dark lines, 

 bunches, and strings rushing toward me at dif- 

 ferent rates of speed, but even the slowest fear- 

 fully fast. There I stood bothering with a 

 muzzle-loader, my head aching from the recoil 

 of the heavy charges I was vainly pouring into it, 

 registering on high countless vows to hold a rod 

 or two ahead of the next duck, yet shooting but 

 a few inches ahead before I could think of what 

 I was about, only to see the game whiz away up- 

 ward unharmed, and the sky again darken around 

 me with hissing wings before I could even pour 

 the powder into the gun. 



Little knowing how he was harrowing my 

 feelings, my friend now called out : 



" Let everything go but mallards, and be sure 



