262 MELTON AND HOMESPUN 



fowl which are rendered quite invisible to the human 

 eye by darkness. Successful shots in this manner, 

 however, are very few and far between, and we cannot 

 but think that there is a good deal more luck than judg- 

 ment in shooting by sound. 



But to hark back to our geese, the nearest of which 

 appeared to be within range of my 12-bore " Magnum." 

 Pulling at one of the hazy forms, I had the satisfac- 

 tion of hearing a heavy thud on the contiguous marsh 

 beyond, which told me that I had scored my first pink- 

 foot of the season. My second attempt, taken more or 

 less at random, proved a blank, and, although I obtained 

 a couple of other shots at geese during the short flighting 

 time, I failed to make an addition to my bag. Not so 

 the man on my left, however, who grassed a leash of 

 geese in as many shots, while the remaining three guns 

 scored a couple between them. 



Thoroughly well satisfied with the evening's sport, we 

 returned to the homestead to dine, chat, and smoke, and 

 it was well past midnight ere one of the older members 

 of the party suggested it was time all respectable young 

 men were in bed. Then we " juveniles " sought our 

 couches of straw in the granary, while the " oldsters " 

 retired to their respective corners in the wainscoted 

 sitting-room. 



" Rise with the sun " should be the motto of the wild- 

 fowler, and the stars were still twinkling in the cloud- 

 less heavens when a loud banging on the door of the 

 granary, followed by a raucous " Now then, maisters ; 

 the governor do say there be jest time to get a morsel o' 

 wittles afore ye start a-shootin'," caused my companions 

 and myself to jump up from our straw lairs and race to the 



