Page:Young Hunters of the Lake.djvu/79

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THE FIRST DAY OF THE OUTING
69

one of the ducks took alarm and arose In the air.

"They are flying away!" yelled Shep, and raised his shotgun. Bang 1 spoke the weapon, and reports from the two other firearms followed. One of the ducks came down heavily, while a second fluttered around badly wounded. The third flew off, apparently untouched.

"We must get that second one!" cried Snap, and fired once more. But the wounded duck had reached the cover of some bushes and was not hit again. The rowboat was hastily turned in the direction and Snap and Whopper leaped ashore. Then the duck tried to fly but a shot from Whopper's firearm laid it low. Soon the boys had both ducks on board and were examining the game.

"They are pretty plump," was Snap's comment, and he uttered the words with satisfaction.

"Not so bad for the first day's record," said Giant. "Fish and ducks."

"Now if we could only get some squirrels, a few rabbits, a deer, and three or four bears—" began Whopper.

"Do you want to bring down everything within ten miles the first day?" demanded the doctor's son.

"I believe if Whopper was hunting lions he'd want to bring down a dozen the first clip," was