A WILD GOOSE CHASE 279 



would have proclaimed the fact. The excitement grew 

 intense; and he noiselessly cocked his gun, for he was 

 approaching within shot of the geese. The dead silence 

 of the marshes was suddenly broken by the loud, trumpet- 

 like challenge of an old gander sentinel, and the next 

 instant the whole gaggle rose within sixty yards of 

 Conway. To drop the halter-reins and jump clear of the 

 mare's head was but the work of a moment, and singling 

 out the nearest bird he pulled. " That's a dead bird for a 

 hundred, for he's got the whole charge in him. He'll 

 drop before he gets to the headland," inwardly exclaimed 

 Jack, as with open-mouthed astonishment he watched 

 the " skein " stringing away seaward. But no, the goose 

 continued on its flight as though untouched, and, followed 

 by blessings loud and deep, the birds passed over the grey, 

 broken waters of the wild North Sea, until they appeared 

 but mere specks on the horizon. 



Walking over to the spot from whence the geese had 

 risen, Conway picked up two grey feathers and a thin 

 cardboard wad. Upon the face of the latter was marked 

 a big 9. In the hurry and darkness of early morning he 

 had taken from his magazine a couple of cartridges 

 loaded for flocks of small waders. 



" How about the old dun mare ? did you ask, sir. 

 Oh ! at the report of the gun she bolted, and got cast in 

 a dyke ; much to the delight of Bailiff Togood, who had 

 to walk six miles across the sands to the mainland to hire 

 another horse to haul her out." 



