"It seems to me," laughed Burt, "that your range of topics is even more
sublime. From Sir Mephitis to romantic moonlight and lofty musings, no
doubt, which ended with a screech-owl."

"The great horned is not a screech-owl, as you ought to know. Well,
Nature is to blame for my alternations. I only took the goods the gods
sent."

"I hope you did not take cold," said Maggie. "The idea of prowling around
at that time of night!"

"Webb was in hopes that Nature might bestow upon him some confidences by
moonlight that he could not coax from her in broad day. I shall seek
better game than you found. Ducks are becoming plenty in the river, and
all the conditions are favorable for a crack at them this morning. So I
shall paddle out with a white coat over my clothes, and pretend to be a
cake of ice. If I bring you a canvas-back, Amy, will you put the wishbone
over the door?"

"Not till I have locked it and hidden the key."

Without any pre-arranged purpose the day promised to be given up largely
to country sport. Burt had taken a lunch, and would not return until
night, while the increasing warmth and brilliancy of the sunshine, and
the children's voices from the maple grove, soon lured Amy to the piazza.

"Come," cried Webb, who emerged from the wood-house with an axe on his
shoulder, "don rubber boots and wraps, and we'll improvise a male-sugar
camp of the New England style a hundred years ago. We should make the
most of a day like this."