knows all about them. He has very sharp eyes, has Blacky, and he
knows when a man has got a gun and when he hasn't. More than that,
he can tell better than any one I know of just how near he can
safely go to one of those terrible guns. He is smart, my cousin
Blacky is, and if he will help me look for Mr. Quack, we'll find
him if he is alive."

"That will be splendid!" cried Peter, clapping his hands. "But
aren't you afraid of those terrible guns, Sammy?"

"Not when the hunters are trying for Ducks," replied Sammy. "If
there is a Duck anywhere in sight, they won't shoot at poor little
me or even at Blacky, though they would shoot at him any other time.
You see, they know that shooting at us would frighten the Ducks.
Blacky knows all about the Big River. In the winter he often gets
considerable of his food along its banks. I've been over there a
number of times, but I don't know so much about it as he does. Now
here is my plan. I'll go find Blacky and tell him all about what
we want to do for Mrs. Quack. Then, when Mrs. Quack comes back
to the Smiling Pool, if she hasn't found Mr. Quack, we'll tell her
what we are going to do and what she must do. She must swim right
up the Big River, keeping out in the middle where she will be safe.
If there are any hunters hiding along the bank, they will see her,
and then they won't shoot at Blacky or me because they will keep
hoping that Mrs. Quack will swim in near enough for them to shoot
her. Blacky will fly along over one bank of the Big River, and I
will do the same over the other bank, keeping as nearly opposite
Mrs. Quack as we can. Being up in the air that way and looking
down, we will be able to see the hunters and also Mr. Quack, if
he is hiding among the rushes. Are you quite sure that Mrs. Quack