A NIGHT IN A TUB 55 



dodging in and out amongst my decoys. In the uncertain 

 light of early morning I could not tell what kind of fowl 

 had dropped to the decoys. On that point I was not 

 long left in doubt, however, for, as I rammed a couple of 

 cartridges home with numbed and aching fingers, a 

 shrill whistle came to my ears, and then I knew that my 

 visitors were green-wing teal. 



Aiming at some six or seven of the little duck which 

 were well " bunched " f or a successful shot, I pulled, but 

 to my surprise every bird sprang from the water, ap- 

 parently untouched ; nor was I a whit more successful 

 with my second barrel. To say that I was disgusted 

 at the bloodless result of my first " double " would be 

 but putting it very lightly. The veriest tyro would not 

 easily have " muffed " the teal as they placidly sat on 

 the water within twenty-five yards of my tub. I was 

 using my favourite and well-tried 10-bore " Churchill," 

 while my cartridges, although not of English loading, 

 I had purchased from a Toronto gunmaker of repute. I 

 was, therefore, unable to attribute the f,asco to any other 

 cause than that of " crooked powder." There was but 

 little time to ponder over the matter, however, for the 

 whistling of wings all round my " blind " heralded the 

 advent of the morning flight. A bunch of some twenty 

 pochards next paid a visit to the decoys, and after 

 circling the lagoon they drooped amongst the dummies. 

 Again I pulled at a couple of the red-heads, which were 

 paddling almost wing to wing, but although I distinctly 

 heard the shot-pellets strike against their plumage, both 



