BERNACLE SHOOTING ON WHYRILL MARSH. 189 



too clear and calm for us to expect any sport. We 

 saw a something at a distance floating down with 

 the tide, which was coming slowly down one of the 

 largest of the gutters. For some time we could not 

 make it out. Some said it was a whale, some would 

 have that it was the sea serpent, for in the clear 

 moonlight it looked bigger than it really was. At 

 last our captain said, " I'll bet my life it's Billy 

 Duck ; throw yourselves down, and we'll let him 

 float past us." Accordingly down we went, and 

 just as he passed we hailed him. " Holloa, Billy, 

 that can't be you." "Holloa," said Billy, "it is 

 me, though. Be that you, Mr. Richard ? " for that 

 was our captain's name. " Oh, dear a me, Mr. 

 Richard, what a lot of geese there be up yonder, to 

 be sure. I've been trying all kinds of ways to 

 get up to them, but the tide's so low to-night I 

 can't get anywhere within hail of them. Sometimes 

 there's such a lot of water one can't do nothing, and 

 now there's not enough of water, and one can't do 

 anything. But what a lot of stuff there is up there, 

 to be sure, Mr. Richard ! I do wish as I could be 

 tied to them there geese for only ten minutes, with 

 a short stick in my hand, that I does, Mr. Richard ; 

 I could get some of them, I knows I could, seeing 



