250 



RECREATION. 



the first time I saw he carried a spade, 

 which he must have secured at the 

 stable and which he handed to me, 

 saying, "Dig." 



"What for?" I asked. 



"To make a hole," he replied, 

 and without further explanation he 

 began to set up the decoys, some dis- 

 tance away. I dug, and when the hole 

 was completed to his satisfaction he 

 dug a similar one for himself. 



When I was safely seated in the 

 hole I could just see over the edge. 



"Get your cartridges," said Jock, 

 "and stay down there till you hear me 

 call. Then get up and knock 'em." 



"I crouched low, and soon I 

 heard the faint, oft repeated cry of 

 the grey goose. As the call grew 

 clearer and clearer I cocked my gun 

 and exerted all my will power to keep 

 from springing wildly up and firing 

 frantically into the air. How small 

 that pit seemed ! How cramped up I 

 was ! I felt sure it would take a fear- 

 ful length of time to get out and get 

 myself into firing position. Nearer 

 and nearer came the cry, and then the 

 great grey gander came in sight, fol- 

 lowed by the entire flock in the shape 

 of a V. Would old Jock never cry? 

 What was the matter with him. I 

 could stand it no longer. I sprang 

 from the pit and rapidly discharged 

 both barrels at the geese, which were 

 directly above me, and seemed almost 

 within reach of my gun. 



The only reply to my shots was 

 some derisive squawks from the geese, 

 which passed on undisturbed, hardly 

 deigning to quicken their speed. 



Old Jock arose, badger-like, from 

 his retreat, looking distinctly dis- 

 agreeable, and appeared about to say 

 something in keeping with his looks , 

 when, seeing my utter dismay, he 

 broke into a hearty laugh. 



"What were you trying to do?" 



I hastened to assure him I had 

 been trying to kill a goose. 



"Well," he answered slowly, "just 

 wait next time, lad, till they go to 



light. Did you expect them to light 

 with the wind?" 



I was about to reply that I could 

 see no possible objection to their 

 lighting any way they deemed advis- 

 able, but was saved from this fine 

 speech by seeing my companion 

 scamper back to his pit. I followed 

 his example, and soon heard again the 

 familiar "Honk ! Honk !" That time 

 I remained motionless, although I had 

 a hard struggle. The great black 

 necked fellows flew over my head and 

 disappeared behind my pit. Not a 

 sound from Jock ! Several seconds 

 passed in silence, and hearing no 

 more geese I raised my head above 

 the pit. I was greeted by a tremen- 

 dous squawking, and the whole flock, 

 which had been coming back toward 

 our decoys, made off as fast as their 

 immense wings could carry them. 

 Following what I afterward learned 

 to be their usual custom, they had 

 gone over the decoys with the wind, 

 and suspecting nothing had returned 

 to alight against it. That was why 

 Jock was waiting, for just as gees£ 

 spread their wings to join their sup- 

 posed fellows they afford the most 

 magnificent mark possible. My ap- 

 pearance above ground had spoiled 

 all. 



Jock stood upright in his pit and 

 surveyed me with a look of intense 

 disgust. Then in a voice of extreme 

 contempt he said, 



"Can't you stay down? What do 

 you mean by showing your ugly face 

 above ground? Do you think geese 

 can't see you with half your awkward 

 carcass sticking up?" 



He sat down on the edge of his pit, 

 a picture of incarnate rage, and let 

 several flocks, containing hundreds of 

 geese, pass without deigning to glance 

 at them. 



I went to him and begged him to 

 give me another chance, supplement- 

 ing my petition with a plug of to- 

 bacco ; but it was only after I had re- 

 peatedly promised to remain below 



