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and nearer they would come, till a swift rush 

 out of the grass sent them off headlong, 

 splashing and quacking with crazy clamor. 

 But one. or two always stayed behind with 

 the wolves to pay the price of curiosity. 



Then there were the young geese, which 

 gathered in immense flocks in the shallow 

 bays, preparing and drilling for the autumn 

 flight. Late in the afternoon the old mother 

 wolf with her cubs would steal down through 

 the woods, hiding and watching the flocks, 

 and following them stealthily as they moved 

 along the shore. At night the great flock 

 would approach a sand-bar, well out of the 

 way of rocks and brush and everything that 

 might hide an enemy, and go to sleep in 

 close little family groups on the open shore. 

 As the night darkened four shadows would 

 lengthen out from the nearest bank of shad- 

 ows, creeping onward to the sand-bar with 

 the slow patience of the hours. A rush, a 

 startled honk ! a terrific clamor of wings and 

 throats and smitten water. Then the four 

 shadows would rise up from the sand and 

 trot back to the woods, each with a burden 



