156 Sea ^ Shore Birds 



The truth was that it was a little difficult to make 

 out its head, seeing that it hadn't one ! and its heart 

 was straw ! 



Then from the shore we heard the report of the 

 rifle, followed by shrieks of laughter from us all. 



Of course the trick is discovered ! 



Yet the Slayer still kneels cautiously in conceal- 

 ment behind his rock. 



When to our intense satisfaction — Bang ! If he 

 hasn't fired again ! 



With a splash and a scramble he is into the punt 

 — head foremost, apparently ; and is at once rowed 

 towards what he imagines to be his dead trophy. 



But when the boat is about twenty yards from the 

 seal, we can make out that the trick is discovered at 

 last. 



An amusing part of the whole thing was, that, 

 although a very good rifle-shot, the Slayer, owing to 

 his intense excitement, had never hit the target at all ! 



Perhaps the best part of it all, was the kindly way 

 in which he bore all this fooling at his expense, and 

 laughed as heartily about it as any one. 



On the following day he had to leave us, and the 

 report flew about that his departure was owing to the 

 fact that he couldn't stand the "chaff" that he was 

 subjected to. 



Personally, I never saw any one stand such fooling 



better. 



***** 



Now we must return to our island to look at the 

 gulls. All along the south side there are numerous 



