THE BLACK DUCK 283 
chored, as a rule, so that one old drake is some- 
what separated from the rest, and being dis- 
satisfied and lonesome, he keeps up a continual 
remonstrant conversation with the rest of his 
flock. Ifa bunch of birds is passing never fear 
but he will see them and find means to let the 
strangers know of his presence and where- 
abouts, and they, with a sudden turn from their 
course, with necks outstretched and wings 
stiffly set, come in at full speed. Now they turn 
away, careering around the pond two or three 
times because the foxy old fellow who leads 
them is not just suited with the appearance of 
things,—some small matter of suspicion in his 
mind,—but next time around a bird or two in 
the tail of the flock, more hungry than wise, 
drop out with slanting flight,—then another, 
and yet more,—until finally the main body 
comes in like a flight of arrows. Splash! 
Splash! They have settled just outside the line 
of decoys and begin to swim in toward them. 
Now the gunner waits until they are bunched 
at a little distance from his ‘‘tolers,’’ which if 
old hands at the business at once swim away 
from their visitors, and when his feathered as- 
sistants are surely safe the gunner pulls trig- 
