longing in her old heart meant. As she g 

 raised herself on her poor wings and sent fhrr^cf nF 



out her clamorous appeal, the wild leader ~* #5s— 



stopped, and the long wedge seemed to u/'/rf^%^ 



tumble together in a dense mass of cackle 

 and confusion. Then the leader whirled ; 

 above the clamor came the deep honk of 

 authority; the lines formed swiftly, with 

 marvelous precision, and straight up the 

 pond to the boy's hiding-place they came, 

 a glorious big wedge of birds, honking, honk- 

 ing in joy at so good a resting-place, and 

 nearly taking the heart out of Old Graylag 

 as she clamored and tugged at her anchor 

 and beat the water with her wings. 



Then, all by himself, the boy saw a bit 

 of Waptonk's drill school which old goose 

 hunters on the coast have looked for many 

 years in vain. High overhead they came till W^M 





over the middle of the pond, when the leader ^ 

 whirled sharply to the right. The right-hand 

 side of the wedge whirled after him, while 

 the left wing halted and then turned in 

 behind the leaders in a single long line. 

 Every wing was now set stiffly ; the clangor 



