At length they found themselves on the shore of the lake; and, peering
out from behind a thicket, where they had crept for concealment, they
discovered, about half-way to the opposite shore, as fine a flock of
geese as one would wish to see--fifteen of them in all. They were
swimming around, turning their heads first one way and then the other,
as if they had been alarmed.
"It's a long shot, isn't it?" said Archie, measuring the distance with
his eye.
"Yes," answered his cousin; "but that is not the worst of it; they are
getting further away from us every moment."
"Well," said Archie, cocking his gun, and pushing it carefully through
the bushes, "you be ready to take them as they rise."
As he spoke he took a quick aim at the nearest of the flock, and
pulled the trigger. The cap snapped.
"Plague on the gun!" he exclaimed. "Shall I throw it in the lake!"
"No, no," answered Frank; "try the other barrel; and you had better be
quick about it--they're going to fly."
Archie again raised his gun to his shoulder.
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