"Fire!" said he, and one shot rang out after another quickly. There
was a mad whirring and fluttering from the ruffed grouse. Two
dropped like lead, while two others flew around in a circle, badly
wounded. Then the boys discharged their guns again, and wounded
two more birds. As the game came down they rushed in and wrung
the necks of those not already dead.

"Six, all told," said Giant proudly. "That's one and a half apiece."

"Not so bad," answered Snap.

"It's dandy!" shouted Whopper, throwing up his cap in his delight.
"Now we can have roast partridge for dinner, and supper, too, if
we want to."

"Right you are," came from Shep. "I believe we all made a hit,"
he added.

"A hit?" repeated Whopper. "We all made home runs!" And at this
reference to baseball all of the boys laughed.

Taking the game to the rowboat, they resumed their journey, and by
noon reached the watercourse connecting the two lakes. Here they
stopped at a spot well known to them and built a camp fire, and
here they roasted all of the game, fearing it might not keep in
such hot weather.

"I'm going to try baking 'em in mud," said Giant, who had learned
the trick from Jed Sanborn. Leaving the feathers on the grouse the