138 The Two Geese. [CHAP. VIII. 
and taking a short sleep, he would set out in the dark, in 
order to be at the place where he had appointed, from 
whence he worked his way homeward in the morning to- 
ward Banff. 
But though he made it a general practice during his 
nightly excursions to return home in time for the morning’s 
work, he occasionally found it necessary to deviate a little 
from this rule. When he was in search of some particular 
bird, he was never satisfied or at rest until he had obtained 
it. On one occasion two geese, the first of their kind that 
he had ever seen, caused him to lose nearly a whole week 
before he could run them down. 
He saw them while walking out one Sunday afternoon. 
They were swimming about on a piece of water near the 
town. He went out before daylight next morning to the 
same place. But he saw no geese. He waited for an hour, 
and then they made their appearance. They alighted on 
the water within a short distance of the bar where he was 
sitting. Had his object been to secure them at once, he 
could easily have shot them, for they were both within 
reach of his gun. But he wished to observe their habits, 
and he waited for some time. Having satisfied himself on 
this head, he next endeavored to possess them. He shot 
one of them; the other flew away. 
He now desired to possess the other bird; but it was 
with extreme difficulty that he could accomplish his object, 
Though the goose returned, it was so extremely shy that it 
could scarcely be approached. It was only by making use 
of many precautions, and resorting to some very curious 
stratagems, that Edward was able to capture the bird. A 
week elapsed before he could secure it. He shot it on Sat- 
urday, but he did not recover it until the following morning. 
On another occasion a little stint (the least of the sand- 
pipers) cost him two days and a night. It was the first 
bird of the kind he had ever seen—and it was the last. 
Though he was occasionally “within a mile or two of Banff 
