152 GAME SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 



you. The ducks will oome in between us, and 

 as the slough is not over fifty .yards wide, we 

 will have some pretty shots. See them coming 

 back already ! Just shoot away now whenever 

 you feel like it, till we get our stands fixed. 

 One down, but a cripple ; you needn't shoot him 

 over. Jack will get every cripple that falls here, 

 I'll warrant you. Hang up your cartridge-bag on 

 a branch of. the buck-brush, and cut some brush 

 to make your blind thicker. I can see you 

 through it quite_ plainly ; and trim off the tops 

 of the brush in front of you about breast-high, 

 so that you can shoot over it more easily. 



Mark ! east. Let them go over once while 1 

 call them. Here they come again, right low 

 down. Be careful, now, and don't shoot me ; take 

 the foremost. Hurrah ! Five down. Go on, Jack, 

 and fetch that cripple. Good dog ! The ducks 

 almost always enter this pond from the east, as 

 the trees are much lower on that side ; so when 

 I cry " mark," look to that end, unless 1 tell you 

 some other direction. Mark again ! Well done ! 

 I guess I will go out now, and stick up these 

 ducks we have killed for decoys ; they will help 

 to quiet any suspicions in the new-comers. These 

 dead ducks make the best of decoys — far better 



