sought and then, as they were hungry and tired, Dick shot a fat
young ibis and broiled it for their dinner. After dinner they
crossed the meadow to a narrow strip of woods, beyond which, on a
wide stretch of prairie, they saw three bunches of turkeys. The
bunch nearest them appeared to be a hen turkey with her family, each
member of which was about as large as its mother. They were a long
rifle-shot away, and a shot, if it missed, would send every turkey
to cover for the day. The same thing would happen if either of them
set foot on the prairie.

"Our best chance," said Ned, "is to wait for them at the edge of the
prairie. It's getting late and pretty soon they'll be looking for
places to roost among these trees. They may come right here. Anyhow,
by spreading out we will cover quite a stretch of woods. It may be
too late for the rifle but the shotgun ought to do something."

"That means that you're tired of my society, Neddy. So I'll go and
hide myself on the edge of the prairie, a little further off than
you can hit anything, in case of you mistaking me for a turkey."

Soon after Dick had reached his station, the turkeys began to feed
toward the woods. Two of the bunches went to the opposite side of
the prairie. The hen turkey with her grown-up family fed slowly
toward Dick's hiding place, but, when just out of range, appeared to
become suspicious and turned toward Ned. Slowly she walked, darting
her quick-moving head in every direction as she searched trees and
bushes for hidden enemies. The younger turkeys put much faith in the
wariness of the old lady and stalked fearlessly behind her. Ned
waited for a chance which he thought couldn't be missed and,
avoiding the mother turkey, shot down one of her brood. Instantly
the flock was in the air, following its leader down along the edge
of the forest. This brought them directly over Dick, who neatly cut
down another member of the family. While Ned was dressing the
turkeys and building the fire for the broiling of one of them, Dick
was climbing a young cabbage palm and cutting the bud from its top.

"Couldn't tell this palmetto cabbage from big fresh chestnuts, by
the taste," said Dick. "I'm going to roast that other turkey at the
camp to-morrow with his whole inside crammed full of chestnut
stuffing."

While the turkey hunters were eating their breakfast of cold turkey
a doe, followed by a fawn which was still in the spotted coat,
walked out on the open prairie withi