XXIV 
THE WAPITI 
291 
wading to avoid the sound of splashing, I 
worked my way through this excellent cover 
from pool to pool, when to my intense delight I 
saw a flock of about a dozen widgeon within 40 
yards of me ; they were huddled together, and 
offered exactly the character of mark that I 
desired when shooting for the pot. I fired into 
the centre of these unsuspecting birds, and five 
lay either dead or kicking upon the surface ; 
another fell to my left-hand barrel. Instead of 
rushing forward to secure them, I reloaded 
instantly, as I expected that the remainder of 
the flock would swoop over those which were 
still struggling. This they immediately did, and 
offered a splendid shot, two more falling to a 
right and left. 
This was indeed good fortune. I hunted up 
and secured all my widgeon; and twisting a 
delicate osier, I tied them in two bundles of four 
each, and trudged towards home, enjoying in 
anticipation the delight that such an addition 
would be to our good hostess. 
Late in the afternoon there was a cry of 
distress. We had all been so thoroughly 
engaged, including the Dane and his wife (who 
did the cooking), that no one had missed the 
red-faced child. The frantic mother had now 
discovered that her two - years - old boy had 
disappeared. This was a mysterious announce¬ 
ment, as it seemed impossible that anything 
could disappear upon an open prairie. Every- 
