130 MELTON AND HOMESPUN 



of amber, splashed and streaked with scarlet, and this, 

 in turn, is transformed into the sable robe of night. Ever 

 and anon the report of a gun fired on the marshes lying 

 beyond the sea-wall, warns the waiting gunners that 

 the evening flight of the wild duck to their nocturnal 

 feeding-grounds inland has commenced. All anxiety 

 to score his first wild goose, Dr. Conway nervously opens 

 the breech of his i2-bore to see that the cartridges are 

 in the chambers all right. A grim smile of amusement 

 overspreads the hirsute countenance of " Gaffer " Gilson as 

 he watches this movement on the part of his companion. 

 He knows full well that the geese, unless disturbed, will 

 not commence their seaward flight just yet. 



" Swish-swish-swish ! " A team of mallard pass through 

 the uncertain light to the left of the old wreck, and well 

 out of shot of Gilson 's long gun even. 



''' They mollard would he ve come clean over us if yonder 

 dodderin' furriner hadn't popped out o' the marrin-grass 

 like a juggin' Jock-o'-the-box," grumbles Gilson, pointing 

 the while to the dim form of a man kneeling under the 

 sea-wall. 



By what means the old chap is able to distinguish in 

 the half-light the man as being what he is pleased to 

 call a " furriner " in other words, a stranger is difficult 

 to tell. He imagines, perchance, that no Oozeleigh 

 sportsman would have shown himself to fowl at such a 

 critical moment. 



Standing at intervals along the base of the high em- 

 bankment, like so many sentries, are to be seen a number 

 of men, armed with guns of sorts, and bent on shooting 

 the first goose of the season. 



' The whole township's come a-goozin', I should 



