nch and
ammunition of the party, a dozen wooden duck decoys, weighted and roped,
for open water.

Davies and Creamer gave up their box and outfit to one-armed Peter, as
they were about to try their new paddle-boat. She was duly launched, and
Ben placed himself forward, between the paddle-boxes, ready to do the
steering and shooting, while Creamer acted as the motive power,
transmitted by a belt and pulleys. Although somewhat high out of water,
she moved off easily, and made little noise when running slowly; and
taking the first of the ebb, the pair moved eastward into the opening
ice.

George and Ben Lund, in their new-fashioned centre-wheel, made poorer
progress, but hurried out "to get ahead of the skimmin'-dish," as they
styled La Salle's light, shallow craft. He let them go, and stationing
George and Regnar in the ice-boat, put out his floating decoys in the
nearest waters, and, cutting slabs of ice, built a high wall around his
own boat, which he drew up on the ice. Carlo incontinently plunged into
the straw under the half-deck of the larger boat, and soon all was ready
for the expected birds.

Meanwhile, upon the stranded berg which lay immovable off the southern
face of the island, gathered the new comers, whose Bacchanal approach
has of late been chronicled. Had they had any outfit of decoys, and
known how to use them, they could not but have had good sport; and even
as it was, so many birds passed and repassed them, that a good shot
could not have failed to secure at least a few ducks. But, however
unfortunate in securing any trophies, they failed not in the weight or
constancy of their fire.

Not a flock passed within a quarter of a mile but received a volley; not
a loon that showed his distant head above water but went down under the
fire of a platoon; and not a frightened duck darted overhead but heard
the air behind him torn with whistling shot enough to have exterminated
his whole tribe.

From time to time a lull in the storm would occur, and then peals of
laughter would come across the intervening waters; and looking up, the
irritated sportsmen generally beheld a tableau of inverted
pocket-flasks, and feats of strength with a rapidly lightening ale-keg.
But, although our friends bore the proximity of these city gunners with
great patience for a while, an event soon occurred which brought matters
to a focus.

A flock of geese were seen approaching from the eastward, and La Salle,
cautioning the bo