The Whooping Crane 355 



ing, but presently I thought of something else. 

 Under the seat lay a big repeating rifle, and I 

 suggested that he should walk the team steadily 

 ahead while I slipped out with the rifle-case and 

 tried my hand at creeping. 



" All right ; but I bet the dinner you fail," he 

 replied, and out I went. 



To get ready without making any conspicuous 

 movements while lying flat in short grass is not 

 the easiest of tasks, but finally I managed it in a 

 style which appeared to be satisfactory. In any 

 event the big birds stood as motionless as a 

 couple of trees, and the creeping began. After 

 wriggling along for some fifty yards the under- 

 taking began to look promising. Then a dis- 

 tant voice sang out: "When they turn up-wind, 

 they're going to fly," and I heeded it, for the 

 speaker was a veteran plainsman and a master 

 of bird craft. 



The cranes were standing about five yards 

 apart, but as I wormed along one bird moved 

 two paces nearer its fellow and turned, facing the 

 breeze. This movement brought its back toward 

 me, while the other bird was standing broadside 

 on. I felt that it might turn at any moment, and 

 that the next moment both would take wing, so a 

 shot was decided upon. Lying flat, with a dead 

 elbow-rest, I drew a bead on the centre of the 

 snowy body. The rifle never quivered, and at 



