of wrecking his beloved craft on an
unseen oyster reef, or a sandbar that lay just below the surface.

"I reckon they're ducks," quoth Josh, after a look. "How about it,
Jack?"

Jack did not have to even make use of the glasses before replying in
the affirmative.

Nick was all excitement at once.

"Say, why can't we sneak up on 'em, and knock about six on the head?"
he hastened to demand; and then stooped down to drag out George's
shotgun; at which the others shouted to him to be careful, for he was
making the boat wobble fearfully.

"Well, we might give them a try," said Jack, with a smile; "but even if
we did manage to bag a bunch, I reckon now, you wouldn't think them
worth cooking."

"Why not; I've heard that even fishy ducks can be eaten, if you take
the trouble to draw the feathers and skin off together?" Nick declared.

"Which is correct, all right, as far as it goes," Jack continued,
placidly; "but I'd defy even such an expert as Josh here, to cook those
ducks so as to disguise the woody flavor!"

"Haw! haw! haw! Jack means they're only a bunch of wooden
decoys--stool ducks!" roared Josh, some of the others echoing his
merriment. "Perhaps you c'n digest pretty near anything, you're such a
walking cemetery, Nick; but I bet you draw the line at a wooden duck,
hey?"

Nick relapsed into silence, but George took up the talk.

"Ain't this early in October for duck hunting, Jack? Some of the
States don't allow it till November, you know," he inquired, seeking
information.

"Yes; and perhaps this fellow is only giving his stools an airing,
after all, to see how they float; because the main raft of ducks won't
be here till later."

During the day they landed at one or two docks, where the customary
groups of staring natives surrounded them, asking questions, examining
the clever little craft beside which their own looked cumbersome,
though sea-worthy, and giving such a sad mixture of information that in
the end Jack was glad he had his reliable charts to fall back on, since
one man's account seemed to be exactly contradictory in comparison with
the next one.

The boys believed that it would be wise to halt for the night away from
any of the settlements along the sound or bay. Perhaps these rough
looking fellows might be all right, and just as honest as they make
them; but previous experiences had warned Jack and his chums that there
are always some bad characters belonging in every isolated town a