ough the outermost dog-hole, which commanded
a full view of the lake. It was a day without wind; not a ripple stirred
the surface of the water; the soft gray clouds filled all the sky, and
hid the sun from view.

We peeped through the hole in the paling. There were the wild
ducks--collected within easy reach of the decoy--placidly dressing their
feathers on the placid surface of the lake.

The bailiff looked at the dog, and made a sign. The dog looked at the
bailiff; and, stepping forward quietly, passed through the hole, so as
to show himself on the narrow strip of ground shelving down from the
outer side of the paling to the lake.

First one duck, then another, then half a dozen together, discovered the
dog.

A new object showing itself on the solitary scene instantly became an
object of all-devouring curiosity to the ducks. The outermost of them
began to swim slowly toward the strange four-footed creature, planted
motionless on the bank. By twos and threes, the main body of the
waterfowl gradually followed the advanced guard. Swimming nearer and
nearer to the dog, the wary ducks suddenly came to a halt, and, poised
on the water, viewed from a safe distance the phenomenon on the land.

The bailiff, kneeling behind the paling, whispered, "Trim!"

Hearing his name, the terrier turned about, and retiring through the
hole, became lost to the view of the ducks. Motionless on the water,
the wild fowl wondered and waited. In a minute more, the dog had trotted
round, and had shown himself through the next hole in the paling,
pierced further inward where the lake ran up into the outermost of the
windings of the creek.

The second appearance of the terrier instantly produced a second fit of
curiosity among the ducks. With one accord, they swam forward again,
to get another and a nearer view of the dog; then, judging their
safe distance once more, they stopped for the second time, under the
outermost arch of the decoy. Again the dog vanished, and the puzzled
ducks waited. An interval passed, and the third appearance of Trim took
place, through a third hole in the paling, pierced further inland up
the creek. For the third time irresistible curiosity urged the ducks to
advance further and further inward, under the fatal arches of the decoy.
A fourth and a fifth time the game went on, until the dog had lured the
water-fowl from point to point into the inner recesses of the decoy.
There a last appearance of Trim took place.