ain, if another flock puts in an appearance," said the
disabled goose-shooter.

"Had your shoulder been free, you would not have felt the recoil, which,
even in a heavy, well-made gun, is equal to the fall of a weight fifty
to sixty pounds from a height of one foot, and in overloaded or
defective guns, exceeds twice and even three times that. It is a wonder
that your shoulder was not broken, and a still greater wonder that you
killed your birds."

At this moment a hail came from the direction of the other boat, which
was answered by La Salle, and in a few moments, after several halloos
and replies, two human forms were seen through the scud, and Ben and
Creamer made their appearance, gun in hand. A brace of geese, held by
the necks, dangled by the side of the latter, and showed that their
shots had not been thrown away.

"This storm will last all night," said Davies, anxiously, "and we're
only an hour to sundown. Creamer, here, started a little while ago to
find out what you had shot. He lost his way, and was going right out to
sea past me, when I called to him, and I thought we had better try to
get ashore before it gets any darker."

"Does any one know in just what direction the Point lies?" asked
Creamer, with that "dazed" expression peculiar to persons who have been
"lost."

"Our boat lies nearly in a direct line east and west, and a line
intersecting her stem and stern will fall a few rods inside of the
island. We are about three quarters of a mile from the house, and by
counting thirteen hundred and twenty paces in that direction, we should
find ourselves near the shore, just below the house, if our course was
correct," said La Salle.

"Yes," said Creamer, "but no man can keep a straight line in a storm
like this, when one hummock looks just like another, and there isn't a
star to lay one's course by."

"I once saw in the Tribune," said Kennedy, eagerly, "a way to lay a
farm-line by poles stuck in the ground. It also recommended 'blazing'
trees in the woods for the same purpose."

"To blazes with yer poles and blazed trees, Mr. Kennedy, saving yer
presence; all the newspapers in Boston can't teach me anything in laying
a straight line where I can have or make marks that can be seen; but
there are no poles here, and we couldn't see them if we had them."

"Creamer, don't get so desperate. Kennedy has furnished the idea, and I
think I can get the party ashore without any trouble. Now let all get
ready to