will not go into the water after a wounded
bird."

"Yes," said Frank, "we had better leave them behind. But we must have
Brave with us. I'll go and call him."

And he opened the door, and, walking out upon the piazza, which ran
entirely around the cottage, gave a low whistle. There was a slight
rustling among the straw in the kennel where the dogs slept, and Brave
came out, and followed his master into the house.

After wrapping up their guns in their coats, they were ready to set
out.

Half an hour's walk, through mud up to their ankles, brought them to
Uncle Mike's house, which stood at the end of the road, and, climbing
over the fence that inclosed his pasture, they struck off through the
woods toward the lake.

After picking their way for half a mile over fallen logs, and through
wet, tangled bushes, Frank, who was leading the way, suddenly stopped,
and, leaning back against a tree to get out of the rain, said,

"Here we are. Had we better try to cross the creek now, or shall we
wait until daylight?"

"You must have cat's eyes," said Archie, trying to peer through the
darkness. "I knew there was a creek here somewhere, but I didn't
suppose we had reached it yet."

"Well, we have; and, unless I am very much mistaken, you will find the
bridge right before you. Shall we try to cross it now? It will be a
slippery job."

The "bridge" that Frank referred to was simply a large tree that the
boys had felled across the creek, and stripped of its branches. It
could easily be crossed in the day-time, but in a dark, stormy night
it was a difficult task to undertake. The boys could scarcely see
their hands before them; and Frank had accomplished something worth
boasting of in being able to conduct his cousin directly to the
bridge.

"It will require the skill of a rope-dancer to cross that bridge now,"
said Archie; "and, if we should happen to slip off into the water, we
would be in a nice fix."

"Besides," said Frank, "if we did succeed in crossing, we could not go
far in the dark, on account of the swamp; so, I think, we had better
wait."

The boys stood under the tree, talking in low tones, when Frank
suddenly exclaimed,

"We're all right. The geese are in the lake. Do you hear that?"

Archie listened, and heard a splashing in the water, mingled with the
hoarse notes of the gander.

"I wish it was daylight," said he, impatiently.

"Don't be in a hurry," said Frank; "there's time enough."

"I'm afraid