e--of water.
The decoys are placed out in long range, in such a manner as to make
them appear as natural looking as possible, and then we are ready for
business. Now here they come--a flock of seven geese, plump down among
the stool, but get up again with equal haste. Two of them are knocked
down with the breech-loader, one dead, the other only wounded--a third
stopped by the muzzle-loader. Theodoric was dreamily watching his
decoys as they danced about, when a bunch of sprig-tail swooped dawn,
hovering above the stool. He picked his bird, and dropped two with the
first barrel, and another responded to the discharge of the second.
They came tumbling down into the water--dead. One could not easily
imagine a duck's head capable of expression, but when they come
lively, alight among the dummies, and hear no quack of recognition,
they soon discover the fraud, and the frightened haste with which they
gather themselves up and attempt to make off, is expression all over.
Crege, who is one of the best amateur shots on Long Island, as a medal
now in his possession will attest, had taken his number twelve, and
walked the marshes for snipe. So far as the ducks were concerned, he
had missed the sport, but he brought in a bunch of forty-five English
snipe, which compared favorably with the success of the others. Crege
is a superior marksman, but he shoots much better when the boys gather
about the table at the club on a winter evening, where they talk their
shots over again, and trot their horses at impossible speed. O'Kelly
is one of the constitutionally chosen Senators for the great State of
New York, is a prime shot, an enthusiastic sportsman, and one of the
most genial of our friends. He had located on a distant island, and
expended powder and shot with his usual prowess--returning laden with
game. This was decidedly the best day we had had, and the score was as
follows: Charles, nineteen canvas-back, eleven teal, three geese and
twelve red-head, mallard and black duck; Theodoric brought in
sixty-five birds--canvas-back, red-head, sprig-tail and black-head;
O'Kelly, who had had surprising luck, counted fifty canvas-back, and
twenty-five common ducks. It was a good count, and the game was hung
up in the boat house with the other birds.

[Illustration: SNIPE SHOOTING.]

[Illustration: FIVE AT A SHOT.]

Many of the natives are professional gunners, and haunt the marshes
day and night, shooting for market, and thus making a livin