Boy life on the prairie . ttling at night on the stubble-fieldsto feed, but they were wary — not so vigilant as thegeese, but so difficult of approach that it was only atthe expense of long, wearisome creepings through thedusk that the boys were able to get within shootingdistance ; and when they rose they were like a storm, agreat, roaring, dark mass lit by sudden gleams of whiteas they turned. Occasionall\- in this way a brace or twowere secured. At other times, by hiding near a feeding-place, by A Chapter on Prairie Game 357 digging a pit and covering it with sheaves of grain orbundles of g
Boy life on the prairie . ttling at night on the stubble-fieldsto feed, but they were wary — not so vigilant as thegeese, but so difficult of approach that it was only atthe expense of long, wearisome creepings through thedusk that the boys were able to get within shootingdistance ; and when they rose they were like a storm, agreat, roaring, dark mass lit by sudden gleams of whiteas they turned. Occasionall\- in this way a brace or twowere secured. At other times, by hiding near a feeding-place, by A Chapter on Prairie Game 357 digging a pit and covering it with sheaves of grain orbundles of grass, Lincoln was able to carry home agreenhead or a teal or two. His mother had a preju-dice against ducks and never liked to cook them, and,in truth, they never tasted very good, and for this reason,perhaps, the boys were less eager to kill a duck than agoose. Geese and cranes appealed to them as worth killingbecause they were so big, so strong, and so wary. Thewild goose is not a foolish bird. He is, on the a wise and skilful andcircumspect fowl. Hisvoice, capable of enor-mous signalling powerand subtle alarm, is a glorious addition to the soundsof the plain. In April he stirs the heart with thoughtsof spring — in autumn he makes the settler shiver withsudden remembrance that winter is coming. All wild geese are well led and well governed. Theycamp like the redmen, with sentries posted, and no aliensound escapes their notice. They know the differencebetween the movement of a browsing cow and the creep- 358 Boy Life on the Prairie ing approach of a hunter. The steps of the wolf andthe fox are distinguished and announced. When onthe wing they avoid all dwellings of men, or go by ata height which renders them safe. In all ways theyseemed wise and watchful birds to Lincoln. He never shot but one goose in all his life. Manytimes he crept through the wet stubble — crawling onhis elbows and knees for a full half-mile, onlv to fail ofeven a shot at the flock as it r
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