110 CHAPTER XVII. 



pheasant would break cover there, or a rabbit yonder; a pigeon might 

 swing over; a snipe flush in front. Whatever got up within range 

 received its tribute of shot and usually went to swell the bag. 



Come to the lake, I found it a body of water about five hundred 

 yards long and not over two hundred yards across at the widest point. 

 Pine and fir trees stood upon the north end and east side of it. The 

 other shores were broken ground, showing only an occasional tree. To 

 the north of us the hill rose up to an approximate height of 200 feet, 

 attaining this level at a distance of a half mile or so from the water's 

 edge. 



The guns were assigned number one, two, three, four, five, and then 

 Albert, who accompanied the Chief, raised a small brass trumpet he 

 carried and sounded a shrill, unmusical note. This was answered from 

 over the crest to the northeast by three short blasts from a similar 

 horn. 



In direct response to the signal and its answer, I caught a move- 

 ment on the part of my loader, as he said in excited accents : "There 

 they come There they come !" 



Over the tops of the trees, straight from the place where I had 

 heard the answering horn, swiftly hurtling to their home lake, came 

 five big mallards. Flying high, they were, and though unconscious of 

 danger, apparently disposed to settle in the lower part of the lake, while 

 the guns were disposed around the upper. In fact, two of the guns 

 were on the upper right hand side, one in a boat in the middle of the 

 lake, while the last two, numbers four and five, were opposite one and 

 two on the left upper side of the lake, as you looked up it. 



The mallards came straight on for the center of the lake, about forty 

 yards above the water. They passed a little to one side of number 

 three in the boat, to receive his salute. He killed one and wounded 

 another. They swung over me, who was number four, climbing, and 

 twisting to get away. I took the wounded one and another. One hit 

 the water, the other the shore, with a splash and a whop. The un- 

 wounded two swung around the lake and came over once more, this 

 time fifty yards or more above the guns which eagerly reached 

 for them. How many shots were fired on that round I cannot tell, but 

 whatever the number, the result was satisfactory, because the two 

 birds were soon down. 



