A Wild Duck. 



67 



Once I was caught squarely, but the grass and 

 my being so near saved me. I had raised my head 

 and lay with chin in my hands, deeply interested in 

 watching a young duck making a most elaborate 

 toilet, when from the other side an old bird shot 



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suddenly into the open water and saw me as I dropped 

 out of sight. There was a low, sharp quack which 

 brought every duck out of his hiding, wide awake on 

 the instant. At first they all bunched together at the 

 farther side, looking straight at the bank where I 

 lay. Probably they saw my feet, which were outside 

 the covert as I lay full length. Then they drew 

 gradually nearer till they were again within the fringe 



