He paddled a short way along the broad to a point where
a little lane of water ran up through the rushes. This
narrowed rapidly and the lad got out from his boat into the
water, as the coracle could proceed no further between the lines
of rushes. The water was knee-deep and the bottom soft and
oozy. At the end of the creek it narrowed until the rushes
were but a foot apart. They were bent over here, as it would
seem to a superficial observer naturally; but a close
examination would show that those facing each other were tied
together where they crossed at a distance of a couple of feet
above the water, forming a sort of tunnel. Two feet farther
on this ceased, and the rushes were succeeded by lines of
strong osier withies, an inch or two apart, arched over and
fastened together. At this point was a sort of hanging door
formed of rushes backed with osiers, and so arranged that at
the slightest push from without the door lifted and enabled a
wild-fowl to pass under, but dropping behind it prevented its
exit. The osier tunnel widened out to a sort of inverted basket
three feet in diameter.

On the surface of the creek floated some grain which
had been scattered there the evening before as a bait. The
lad left the creek before he got to the narrower part, and,
making a small circuit in the swamp, came down upon the
pen.

"Good!" he said, "I am in luck to-day; here are three fine
ducks."