"It is well for you that you didn't wait for me to get nearer," said
the hunter. "You are smart enough to know that you can't play the
same trick on me twice. You frightened those Ducks away last night,
but if you try it again, you'll be shot as surely as your coat is
black."

Then the hunter went to his blind which, you know, was the
hiding-place he had made of bushes and rushes, and behind this he
sat down with his terrible gun to wait and watch for Dusky the Black
Duck and his flock.

Now you remember that farther along the shore of the Big River was
Farmer Brown's boy, hiding in a blind he had made that afternoon.
The hunter couldn't see him at all. He didn't have the least idea
that any one else was anywhere near. "With that Crow out of the way,
I think I will get some Ducks to-night," thought the hunter and looked
at his gun to make sure that it was ready.

Over in the West, jolly, round, red Mr. Sun started to go to bed
behind the Purple Hills, and the Black Shadows came creeping
out. Far down the Big River the hunter saw a swiftly moving black
line just above the water. "Here they come," he muttered, as he
eagerly watched that black line draw nearer.

Twice those big black birds circled around over the Big River
opposite where the hunter was crouching behind his blind. It was
plain that Dusky, their leader, remembered Blacky's warning the
night before. But this time there was no warning. Everything
appeared safe. Once more the flock circled and then headed straight