a rifle. Just wait until morning, and we'll make a
scattering among them, if some one don't get the start of us."

"I suppose we are not the only ones that have heard them."

"Not by a good deal. I shouldn't wonder if there were a dozen fellows
that have made up their minds to have a crack at them in the
morning."

And Frank was right. Many a young hunter, as he lay in bed and heard
the wild geese passing over, had determined to have the first shot at
them, and many a gun was taken down, and cleaned and loaded, in
readiness for the morning's hunt.

Wild geese seldom remained longer than two or three days about the
village, and then they generally staid in the swamp. This made it
difficult for the young hunters to get a shot at them, and only the
most active and persevering ever succeeded.

Although for a month the young sportsmen had been expecting them, and
had carefully scanned the river every morning, and listened for the
welcome "honk-honk" that should announce the arrival of the wished-for
game, this was the first flock that had made its appearance.

"I am afraid," said Archie, "that some one will get the start of us.
Let's get up."

"No; lie still and go to sleep," said Frank.

"I am afraid we shall oversleep ourselves. I wonder what time it is."

"I'll soon find out," said Frank.

And, bounding out on to the floor, he lighted a match, and held it up
before the little clock that stood on the mantle-piece.

"It's twelve o'clock," he continued.

And he crawled back into bed, and in a few moments was almost asleep,
when Archie suddenly exclaimed,

"They're coming back!"

And the geese again passed over the house, in full cry.

They knew it was the same flock, because they came from toward the
river, and that was the same direction in which they had gone but a
few moments before.

In a short time they again returned; and, during the quarter of an
hour that followed, they passed over three times more.

"I wonder what is the matter with those geese," said Archie, at
length.

"Nothing," replied Frank; "only they have got a little bewildered, and
don't know which way to go."

"Where will we have to go to find them in the morning?"

"Up to the swamp," answered Frank. "The last time they passed over
they flew toward the north, and the swamp is the only place in that
direction where they can go to find water, except Duck Lake, and that
is too far for them to fly this stormy night."

"I wish it wa