. Feathered game of the Northeast . left!and up you get and bring your gun to bear ona big gray bird rising out of the water seventyyards away, the first one that catches your eye,then see another about forty yards distant andchange to him. Meanwhile your companion,who has been watching them and has had hisbirds all selected, gets in his two barrels—sonear your head that the concussion of his eight-bore well nigh splits your ear drum—beforeyou are fairly ready to shoot. But you addyour contribution to the general uproar and seeyour second barrel double up a big goose, whichfalls into the water
. Feathered game of the Northeast . left!and up you get and bring your gun to bear ona big gray bird rising out of the water seventyyards away, the first one that catches your eye,then see another about forty yards distant andchange to him. Meanwhile your companion,who has been watching them and has had hisbirds all selected, gets in his two barrels—sonear your head that the concussion of his eight-bore well nigh splits your ear drum—beforeyou are fairly ready to shoot. But you addyour contribution to the general uproar and seeyour second barrel double up a big goose, whichfalls into the water like a ton of coal. Dead,for a ducat! (If it was not the one you meantthere is no one to know it except yourself andyou think that you can keep a secret.) Yourfirst charge was not properly placed, a lurch ofthe float as your companion swung havingthrown you off, but Toms former experienceand longer training have shown their fruits inhis gathering two with his first, where threenecks stood in line, and one with the second bar-. o OO <Q<Z < THE CANADA GOOSE 261 rel. Away goes the flock with noisy honkings,long necks outstretched and every nerve strain-ing to get out of range. Away, weary as theyare, spurred to yet greater endeavors by twomore hasty shots from your comrade, and hur-rying on until only the sharpest of eyes canmark them down in the shadow of a distantisland. Your companion resumes his scullingoar and pushes the float up to a crippled goosewhich is getting into shape for another trial atescape. Another shot collapses him. Youdrag your trophies into the boat—only a feebleshiver of wings by way of remonstrance. Areyou proud of your prize ? You are no true manif not. How large does he look to your de-lighted eyes as he lies in the bottom of the float 1Though your companions birds are all largerthan your own you will never admit it and haveno eyes for any but the goose you have killedall by yourself. The birds are weary and will not go out ofthe bay, but
Size: 1319px × 1895px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectgameandgamebirds
