propped upon his spread knees in the military position for close
shooting. From where he sat he commanded an unobstructed view of
the thicket's edge. Next he moistened his lips and uttered an
indescribable low whistle. At intervals he repeated the call,
while the woman looked on with interest. Suddenly out of the grass
burst a blue quail, running with wings outstretched and every
feather ruffled angrily. It paused, the man's cheeks snuggled
against the stock of his gun, and the bark of the thirty-thirty
sounded loudly. Mrs. Austin saw that he had shot the little bird's
head off. She spoke, but he stilled her with a gesture, threw in a
second shell, and repeated his magic call. There was a longer wait
this time, but finally the performance was repeated. The marksman
rose, picked up the two birds, and came back to the camping-place.

"Kind of a low-down trick when they've just started housekeeping,
ain't it?" he smiled.

Mrs. Austin saw that both crested heads had been cleanly severed.
"That is quite wonderful" she said. "You must be an unusually good
shot."

"Yes'm. You can fool turkeys the same way. Turkeys are easy."

"What do you say to them? What brings them out, all ruffled up?"
she asked, curiously.

Law had one of the birds picked by this time. "I tell 'em a snake
has got me. I reckon each one thinks the other is in trouble and
comes to the rescue. Anyhow, it's a mighty mean trick."