Page 86 - A Little Bush Maid

"So T sneaked down. Pretty soon T got a glimpse of the creek, which was
very wide at that point, and fringed with weeds. The ducks were calmly

swimming on its broad surface, a splendid lot of them, and T can assure you
a very tempting sight to a hungry man.

"However, T didn’t waste time in admiration. T couldn’t very well risk a shot
from where T was, it was a bit too far, and the old gun T had wasn’t very

brilliant. So T crept along, crawled down a bank, and found myself on a flat
that ran to the water’s edge, where reeds, growing thickly, screened me

from the ducks’ sight.

"That was simple enough. T crawled across this flat, taking no chances,

careless of mud, and wet, and sword grass, which isn’t the nicest thing to
crawl among at any time, as you can imagine; it’s absolutely merciless to

face and hands."

"And jolly awkward to stalk ducks in," Jim commented, "the rustle would

give you away in no time."

The Hermit nodded.

"Yes," he said, "that’s its worst drawback, or was, on this occasion. Tt

certainly did rustle; however, T crept very slowly, and the ducks were kind
enough to think T was the wind stirring in the reeds. At any rate, they went

on swimming, and feeding quite peacefully. T got a good look at them
through the fringe of reeds, and then, like a duffer, although T had a good
enough position, T must try and get a better one.

"So T crawled a little farther down the bank, trying to reach a knoll which

would give me a fine sight of the game, and at the same time form a
convenient rest for my gun. T had almost reached it when the sad thing
happened. A tall, spear-like reed, bending over, gently and intrusively

tickled my nose, and without the slightest warning, and very greatly to my
own amazement, T sneezed violently.