alf mile distant on the sea-ice. Taking the taboggin,
which was painted white, from its concealment, he tied to its curved
front a thin slab of snowy ice, and laying his gun behind it, approached
the flock as near as possible, under cover of the hummocks. About three
hundred yards of level ice still intervened, and lying down behind his
snow-screen, he slowly moved his ingenious stalking-horse towards the
flock. Had he understood the nature of the birds thoroughly, it is
probable that his device would have succeeded splendidly; but when he
was still about a hundred yards distant, the wary leader became
suspicious, and gave a note of alarm. In an instant the whole flock,
with outstretched necks, stood prepared for flight. Had he lain still,
it is probable that the birds would have relaxed their suspicious
watchfulness, and allowed him to get nearer; but thinking that he should
lose all if he tried a nearer approach, he fired, killing one and
wounding another, both of which were secured.

Just before dark a slight wind sprang up, and a few flocks, flying low
about the harbor, came in among the decoys, and for a time the fire was
quite heavy, and the sport most exciting. Taken all round, this day was
the best of the season. Ben and Creamer received fifteen, La Salle and
Kennedy twelve, and Davies and Risk eighteen birds--in all, forty-five
geese. On arriving home they found a hearty supper awaiting their
attention, after a due observance had been paid to the rites of the
toilet. This observance seemed to demand much more time than ever
before, to the great amusement of Lund, who had anticipated as much all
day.

"Are all you folks going sparkin', that you are so careful of your
complexions? Goodness! why, you've more pomatums, oils, and soaps than
any court beauty!"

There was some truth in this latter charge, for Ben and Creamer, after
washing and a very gingerly use of the towel, anointed their flaming
visages with almond oil. Kennedy, in his turn, approached the only
mirror the house afforded, and applied to his blistered nose and
excoriated cheeks the major part of a box of Holloway's Ointment; and
even La Salle's dark face seemed to have acquired its share of burning
from the ice-reflected rays of the sun. Davies and Risk, when called to
supper, smelled strongly of rose-scented cold-cream; and Lund was
unsparing in sarcastic remarks on the extreme floridness of complexion
of the entire party.

"Ben, don't have an