BY THE LIGHT O' THE MOON 99 



never touch intoxicants of any kind when in pursuit of 

 his quarry, we fear, were the question put to our friend, 

 Jack Tankerton, that he would, as a truthful man, feel 

 bound to confess that upon this particular occasion he 

 derived much warmth and comfort from taking occa- 

 sional nips at his flask, while the doctor is ever ready 

 to declare that " a dhrop of the crayther is better than 

 all the tay an' other ould woman's slops in the world." 



But here comes the worthy medico, and now for the 

 fleet. 



" Sure, an' if you'll take the left-hand side iv the 

 wather, Oi'll shoot the right ; ye know all the duck keep 

 under the left-hand bank," said the unselfish surgeon, 

 after pledging the health of his fellow-gunner in a 

 longish pull of the " spirit of friendship." He then 

 hurried off along the right-hand shore of the narrow 

 lagoon without waiting to hear whether Jack acquiesced 

 or objected to this somewhat one-sided suggestion. 



Now, why all the duck (Mallow Marsh yields, on an 

 average, about a dozen couple of mallard per season) 

 inhabiting the fleet should choose the left-hand shore 

 of the same was difiicult to understand, considering 

 there was scarcely sufiicient reed-cover on that side to 

 harbour a sparrow, whereas high and dense growths of 

 wild rice and other aquatic plants fringed the other shore. 

 Jack had no opportunity to argue the point, however, 

 and, picking his steps as gingerly as possible over the 

 spongy ground, he once more set forth to slay, or, 

 rather, to look for something to slay. 



