launching my canoe, Herbert Holden came past and of course 
we paddled down river together. We found the Ducks at 
Hunt’s Pond but they rose out of range and flew to the Holt. 
Here again they started wild and went back to Hunt's Pond. 
Holden very generously now agreed to leave them to me and 
kept on down stream while I paddled back nearly to Hunt's 
Pond and, landing, stole cautiously along the meadow 
behind the fringe of trees and bushes which made an excellent 
cover but which, in connection with the height of the bank, 
prevented me from getting more than an occasional glimpse 
of tne river. Once or twice I approached the bank and 
peered down through the branches but even then I could 
scarcely see the water. 
I must have passed within a few yards of the Ducks, 
however, for when I reached the end of the belt of trees 
and looked back, I at once discovered the birds swimming 
close under a, cluster of birches. I did not think that 
they saw me, but when I got to the birches they were gone 
and a moment later I heard the whistling of their wings 
and saw them coming up the river, flying about on a level 
with the tops of the trees. They dropped into the river 
directly opposite where I was standing, making a loud 
splash, but very foolishly I crouched just a.s they were 
descending, and when I rose to my feet again they had 
swum in under the bank and were as invisible as before. 
