He pointed inland, to where there was a clearing among the trees,
probably some marshy spot. Several wild ducks were settling down,
and in a few seconds they were out of sight.

"Want to go ashore?" asked Giant, who was rowing.

"I don't think so," answered Snap. "Perhaps we'll see some of them
on the lake."

"I see three now!" called Whopper softly, and pointed almost dead
ahead.

"Turn the boat into the bushes," ordered the leader of the club,
and Giant did as commanded. Snap was already reaching for a shotgun,
and Whopper and Shep did likewise.

The wild ducks had settled on the bosom of the lake and were paddling
in the direction of the rowboat. They came on slowly, however, and
the young hunters could scarcely wait until they got within gunshot.
Giant still had the oars and now he dropped one rather loudly on the
bow. At once one of the ducks took alarm and arose in the air.

"They are flying away!" yelled Shep, and raised his shotgun. Bang!
spoke the weapon, and reports from the two other firearms followed.
One of the ducks came down heavily, while a second fluttered around
badly wounded. The third flew off, apparently untouched.

"We must get that second one!" cried Snap, and fired once more.
But the wounded duck had reached the cover of some bushes and was