SOME BIRDS 



for at sight of any suspicious person the chickens 

 ran like race-horses, dodging behind every tree. 

 Then the shot gun was turned to, and snap shots 

 had to be taken at the flying fowl while the gun- 

 ner himself was on a dead run. When we left in 

 the fall we had about forty chickens, wilder than 

 any grouse I ever saw. I suggested to Deck that 

 he might arrange, if possible, with some farmer 

 to board them for the winter " on the halves." 

 When I got back the following spring, I found 

 the island once more well supplied with chickens, 

 and said to Deck, " So you did get the chickens 

 boarded ' on the halves.' " 



" No," he replied, " I did n't. I could n't find 

 any one that would board 'em at all. One man 

 said he would n't board 'em ' for the wholes,' so 

 I sold 'em to Jerry Oakes. I got twenty-five 

 cents apiece for 'em and I sold 'em on the foot ; " 

 and Deck chuckled quietly to himself " Jerry 

 an' his boy came over to catch 'em one day, an' 

 they chased 'em all over the island, but they 

 never got a feather. They tried 'em again 

 'nother day, but had no better luck ; so Jerry 

 made a trade with some boys, agreein' to give 

 'em half of all they could catch. Well, the boys 

 chased 'em all day, and did n't get any ; so they 



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