t step softly over the
turf, and keep bending down. That will do. Now don't speak any more,
but just do as I do. You will see a sight of birds in a few minutes."

After going some little distance towards the edge of the decoy, the
fowler drew aside a small shutter, it might be called, in the screen,
through which he beckoned Jack and his companions to look. A number of
birds, ducks, teal, widgeon, and others, were either floating lazily on
the surface of the lake, or rising and circling round it, while others
were bobbing their heads beneath the water, or diving in search of their
prey which swam below. Again the shutter was closed, and the fowler
threw a few handfuls of bruised barley into the centre of the pipe,
which was soon blown down by the wind to the mouth. He now called the
little piper, and sent him in, in front of the screen, at the same time
whistling low--the well-known signal to the decoy-ducks. On hearing the
sound, they instantly rose and flew towards the mouth of the pipe. Now
the little dog ran along for a few feet in front of the screen, where
the birds could see him, and then suddenly disappeared, by leaping
through one of the openings. On came the wild-fowl, following the
decoy-ducks and fearless of evil. Seeing the dog, the curiosity of the
birds was excited, and up the pipe they began to swim. Again the dog
was turned in, and again the birds followed him in his treacherous
course up the pipe. The same trick was played over and over again, till
the birds had been led well out of sight of the entrance of the pipe.
The fowler then stepping forward in front of the screen, without making
any noise which might frighten the birds still outside, waved his cap
round and round. Frightened by this unexpected apparition, the birds
rose from the water, and rushed at headlong speed towards the narrow end
of the pipe. On they went, driven by the fowler, till they reached the
very end; where, finding what they supposed to be an opening, they
darted through, to discover, when too late, that they were hopeless
captives within a strong net!

The scene was very exciting, especially to Jack, who had never seen it
before, and full forty birds were captured together. The decoy-birds,
as soon as the fowler ceased whistling, employed themselves quietly in
picking up the grains of barley which floated on the water, instead of
proceeding, like their brothers whom they had treacherously betrayed, up
towards t