down to it.

"This is no place for me," muttered Blacky. "He'll remember that I
scared those Ducks yesterday, and as likely as not he'll try to
shoot me."

Blacky spread his black wings and hurriedly left the tree-top,
heading for another tree farther back on the Green Meadows where he
would be safe, but from which he could not see as well. There he sat
until the Black Shadows warned him that it was high time for him to
be getting back to the Green Forest.

He had to hurry, for it was later than usual, and he was afraid to
be out after dark. Just as he reached the Green Forest he heard a
faint "bang, bang" from over by the Big River, and he knew that it
came from the place where Farmer Brown's boy was hiding in the
rushes.

"It is true," croaked Blacky. "Farmer Brown's boy has turned
hunter." It was such a dreadful shock to Blacky that it was a long
time before he could go to sleep.



CHAPTER XXVI: Why The Hunter Got No Ducks

The hunter who had come down the Big River in a boat and landed near
the place where Dusky the Black Duck and his flock had found nice
yellow corn scattered in the rushes night after night saw Blacky the
Crow leave the top of a certain tree as he approached.