llard-duck. "They may try as much as they please, still they'll never
get anywhere with such noses," said a gray goose. And this was actually
true. The burrow-ducks had a big knob on the base of the bill, which
spoiled their appearance.

Close to the shore, sea-gulls and sea-swallows moved forward on the
water and fished. "What kind of fish are you catching?" asked a wild
goose. "It's a stickleback. It's Oeland stickleback. It's the best
stickleback in the world," said a gull. "Won't you taste of it?" And he
flew up to the goose, with his mouth full of the little fishes, and
wanted to give her some. "Ugh! Do you think that I eat such filth?" said
the wild goose.

The next morning it was just as cloudy. The wild geese walked about on
the meadow and fed; but the boy had gone to the seashore to gather
mussels. There were plenty of them; and when he thought that the next
day, perhaps, they would be in some place where they couldn't get any
food at all, he concluded that he would try to make himself a little
bag, which he could fill with mussels. He found an old sedge on the
meadow, which was strong and tough; and out of this he began to braid a
knapsack. He worked at this for several hours, but he was well satisfied
with it when it was finished.

At dinner time all the wild geese came running and asked him if he had
seen anything of the white goosey-gander. "No, he has not been with me,"
said the boy. "We had him with us all along until just lately," said
Akka, "but now we no longer know where he's to be found."

The boy jumped up, and was terribly frightened. He asked if any fox or
eagle had put in an appearance, or if any human being had been seen in
the neighbourhood. But no one had noticed anything dangerous. The
goosey-gander had probably lost his way in the mist.

But it was just as great a misfortune for the boy, in whatever way the
white one had been lost, and he started off immediately to hunt for him.
The mist shielded him, so that he could run wherever he wished without
being seen, but it also prevented him from seeing. He ran southward
along the shore--all the way down to the lighthouse and the mist cannon
on the island's extreme point. It was the same bird confusion
everywhere, but no goosey-gander. He ventured over to Ottenby estate,
and he searched every one of the old, hollow oaks in Ottenby grove, but
he saw no trace of the goosey-gander.

He searched until it began to grow dark. Then he had to turn b