encouraged, Billie took the gun and crouched low. His brother was
right. It was a flock of the great grey geese of Canada which now
approached. The hearts of both boys beat high, for they were not only
actuated by what is termed the sporting tendency, but by the desire to
contribute their fair share to the general larder of their friends, who
were encamped a considerable distance off at the other end of the lake.

"Okematan will open his eyes if we take back a goose or two like these;
why, they are swans almost!" whispered Archie, as the birds approached
in the form of an angle. "Take the big fat one on the left--the one now
squintin' down at the decoys."

Billie obeyed, and fired. The result was, in a manner, threefold.
First, the boy's aim was so good that the big fat fellow dropped like a
stone not three yards from their position. Second, the hitherto silent
and symmetrically arranged flock went into dire confusion and sheered
off in trumpeting convulsions; and, third, a scattering shot, having
found its billet in the head of another goose immediately behind the
first one, caused it to plunge right into the camp, straight for the
head of Little Bill. Archie, ignorant of this, was in the very act of
leaping over the brush to secure the first goose, and had fortunately
got in front of his brother at the right moment when the second goose
caught him on the shoulder and knocked him into the poor invalid's arms.

He was stunned at first, and rose in a few moments in some degree of
mental confusion; but he was not much the worse for the accident and
greatly rejoiced at his fortunate escape, as well as the splendid
shooting, of Little Bill.

It must not be supposed that the brothers continued to shoot at this
rate. Comparatively few flocks of geese passed over Willow Point that
day, but numerous flocks of wild-ducks did, and before evening had put
an end to their work, they had secured a fair canoe-load of game.

That night they lighted their camp-fire among the neighbouring willows;
feasted luxuriously on part of the day's hunt; lay down side by side
under one blanket, with the upturned canoe partially covering them;
dreamed at first of Okematan, gazing in wonder at their load, and,
afterwards, of being knocked head over heels by an enormous grey goose
whose persistent pugnacity was only equalled by its strange incapacity
to achieve its murderous ends.

Ultimately Oblivion came to their rescue, and the young h