of hens. They were plump and of a
peculiar black and bronzed color.

"Let's all fire together. Maybe we can bring down the whole flock!"
exclaimed Randy, and his manner showed that he was growing quite
excited.

"All right--I'm willing," answered Jack. "But let us see if we can't get
a little nearer first."

"Maybe if we try to get closer they'll get away from us," said Andy.

"Keep your guns pointed at them, and if they start to leave fire as
quickly as you can," answered Jack, and then he moved forward with his
cousins ranged on either side of him.

The Rover boys had advanced but a few paces when the wild turkeys caught
sight of them. The turkey cock issued a loud note of alarm, and all
started to fly from the low bushes upon which they had been resting.

"Fire!" yelled Jack, and discharged his rifle.

The crack of this weapon was followed by the report of Fred's shotgun,
and then the twins also let drive. Then Fred fired again, and so did
some of the others.

At the first report the turkey cock was seen to rise in the air,
followed by some of the hens, while two hens dropped lifeless in the
snow. The turkey cock, however, was seriously wounded and fluttered
around in a circle.

"Give him another shot!" yelled Fred, whose gun was empty; and thereupon
Jack and Randy fired and the gobbler fell directly at their feet. He was
not yet dead, but they quickly put him out of his misery by wringing his
neck. By this time the hens which had flown away were out of sight.

"Two hens and one gobbler!" cried Jack, as he surveyed the game. "I
think we can congratulate ourselves on this haul."

"You certainly can!" exclaimed Uncle Barney, as he plowed up behind the
boys. "Wild turkeys are no mean game to bring down, let me tell you!
I've tried time and again to get a turkey, and somehow or other it would
always get away from me."

"Some size to this gobbler!" remarked Fred. "And some weight, too," he
added, as he picked the turkey cock up by the legs.

"He'll weigh sixteen or eighteen pounds at least," said the old
lumberman, as he took the turkey cock from the youngest Rover boy and
held the game out in both hands. "Yes, sir! every bit of eighteen--and
he may go twenty. You'll have a dandy meal off of him."

"I know what I'd like to do," said Randy wistfully. "I'd like to send
him home to the folks."

"That's the talk!" returned his twin. "Why can't we do it?"

"I'm willing," answered Jack. "The express company