e. The night before he had told Hubbard he
would kill a goose in the morning, if he were permitted to go on with a
rifle. He had heard the geese flying, and believed they had alighted
for the night in a small lake some distance ahead. The knowledge that
he was a famous goose hunter "down the bay" made his confidence
impressive; still we were doubtful about his succeeding in his quest;
for the geese had been so hard to approach of late we were beginning to
fear we should never shoot any more. For half an hour after George had
taken his pack and a rifle and gone on, Hubbard and I slowly followed
his trail through the snow. Then in the distance we heard a "Bang!"
and after a short interval, "Bang!--Bang!"--three shots in all.

"He's seen them," said Hubbard.

"And shot one," said I.

"I'm not so sure of that," returned Hubbard; "I'm afraid they flew and
he tried to wing them, and if that's the case the chances are against
him."

Presently we came upon George's pack near the western end of the little
lake, and we stopped and anxiously waited for him to appear. In a few
moments he came.

"You can kick me," he began with apparent disgust; then, observing the
look of keen disappointment upon Hubbard's haggard face, he quickly
changed his tone. "That's all right, fellus," he said; "I got a goose.
I saw 'em out there fifty yards from shore, and I bellied along through
the brush as close as I dared, and fired and knocked one over. Then
the others flew out about two hundred yards farther, and I thought I'd
chance another shot; for if I didn't try I wouldn't get another, and if
I did I might knock one over. So I shot again and did get another.
Then the rest of the flock rose up, and I tried to wing one, but
missed, and they've gone now. But there's two dead ones out in the
lake."

Joy?--the word fails to express our feeling. George and I hurried back
for the canoe, and when we paddled out, there, sure enough, were the
two geese, one dead and the other helpless with a broken wing. George
ended the life of the wounded goose with a pistol, and we paddled back
to our packs and built a big fire in the lee of a thick clump of trees.
The snow had turned into a fierce, driving rain, but that did not
bother us. To dress the geese did not take long. We put the giblets
and entrails to boil immediately, and, to quiet our impatience while
waiting for them to cook, George cut from the necks a piece of skin and
fat for each o