ation was a sort o' mistake. Did
ye ever think o' that, Tonal'?"

"I can't say that I ever did. But if it is a mistake, it's a very
successful one--to judge from the way it has spread."

"That iss true, Tonal', an' more's the peety. I cannot but think that
man was meant to be a huntin' animal, and to get his victuals in that
way. What for wass he gifted wi' the power to hunt, if it wass not so?
An' think what enjoyment he hes in the chase until ceevilisation takes
all the speerit out o' him. H'm! It never took the speerit out o' me,
whatever."

"Maybe there wasn't enough o' ceevilisation in the place where you was
brought up," suggested the interpreter.

"Ha! ye hev me there, Tonal'," returned the trader, with a short laugh.
"Weel, I must admit that ye're not far wrong. The muddle o' the
Grampians iss but a wildish place, an' it wass there my father had his
sheep-farm an' that I first made the acquaintance o' the muir-cock an'
the grouse. O man! but there's no place like the Heeland hills after
a', though the wild-woods here iss not that bad. Tonal', man, catch
hold o' that bush an' draw close in to the bank. There's a flock
comin', an' they're fleein' low."

The last words were spoken in a hoarse whisper, for they had just turned
the bend of the river, and MacSweenie had caught sight of a flock of
wild-geese, flying low, as he said, and crossing over the land, which at
that place jutted out into the stream.

Mowat, though naturally sluggish, was quick in action when circumstances
required him to be so. The canoe was drawn close under an overhanging
bush, and quite concealed by it. The two men, laying down the paddles,
took up their guns and examined the priming to see that it was dry, long
before the flock drew near. Then they sat motionless and silent,
crouching a little and looking upwards.

The unsuspicious flock of wild-geese came over the point in that curious
angular formation in which they usually travel--an old grey gander, as
usual, leading. A deep trumpet-note now and then told of their
approach. Then the soft stroke of their great wings was heard. Next
moment the flock appeared over the edge of the bush that concealed their
human foes. At the same instant sportsmen and geese beheld each other.
The guns flew to the shoulders of the former; the angle was thrown into
dire confusion, and the woods and cliffs reverberated with two shots,
which crashed forth at the same moment.

Trumpeti