arge of one of these canoes, was an
old hand at this work, and, as he was a keen hunter, had caught this
spirit of rivalry that had arisen. He determined to put his long
experience with these birds against their cleverness, and it was
interesting to watch the contest between him and them. For a time his
efforts met with complete failure, and the birds fairly outwitted him.

Mustagan, however, was not discouraged, and he resolved on one more
effort to succeed. He had learned from observation that the loon with
its marvellously brilliant eye seemed to be able to see the flash of the
gun, and so quick were its movements that it could dive ere the bullets
or other missiles reached it. Acting on this knowledge, he rigged up in
the canoe a kind of a barrier behind which Sam was seated, concealed
from the sharp-sighted bird. For a time they were not able to get a
successful shot, although a great deal of ammunition was expended.

Alec, with Big Tom and his other Indian canoeman, was equally
unsuccessful. The loons themselves seemed to have entered into the
spirit of the thing, and kept bobbing up here and there, at most
unexpected places, taking good care, however, that each time the bullets
struck the spot where they were, they were somewhere else when it
arrived. It was at first strange to the boys that the bullets did not
follow them in the water, but went bounding off and skipping over the
surface often for great distances.

At length, when Mr Ross began to fear that the ammunition had suffered
enough, and the boys had had sufficient of this kind of shooting, which,
after all, was a most capital drill at quick firing, and was about to
stop the sport, Mustagan pleaded for time to try one more experiment.
He had been watching the movements of a splendid loon, that had saucily
and successfully challenged the guns from each boat in succession for
quite a time. Mustagan's quick eye noticed that the bird was not quite
so vigilant as he had been, and resolved that he could be shot, and that
Sam should have that honour. Strange as it may seem to those who have
not had the fun of trying to shoot loons, these birds get to know that
the hunters they are to watch are those who handle the guns. Knowing
this, Mustagan had Sam well load his gun with buckshot and slugs.
Swinging the canoe so that Sam would be completely hid by the barrier
prepared, he with his gun rose up in a conspicuous manner flourishing
his weapon, and thu