Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-08

| but Sammy Jay is lot more impor-
tant to me than Mr.. Quack. and that
! fellow just might happen to take it
into his head to shoot at me-
So Sammy silently flew around back
of the hunter and stopped in tree
where he could watch all that the
hunter did. For some time Sammy sat
there watching. The hunter was sit
ting behind a sort of fence of bushes
which quite hid him from any one who
might happen to be out on the Big
River. But of course Sammy could see
him perfectly because he was behind
him. Out in front Of that little fence.
which was on the verv edge of the
at first took to be some of Mrs. Quack's
relatives. Why doesn't he shoot
them" thought Sammy. He puzzled
over this as he watched them. until
suddenly 1t came into his head that he
hadn't seen one Of them move since
he began watching them. The hunter
changed his position and still those
ducks didn't move. although some Of
them were so near that they simply
couldn't help knowing when the hunter
moved, unless they were more stupid
than any one of Sammy's acquaintance.
This was very curious-very curious
indeed. Sammy flew little nearer.
and then a little nearer. taking the
greatest care. not to make sound
Pretty soon he was so near that he
could see those ducks very plainly and
he stared with all his might. He
couldn't see any feathers. No, sir; he
couldn't see any feathers. Then he un-
derstood.
HUH said he to himself Those
are not ducks, at all. They are just
pieces of wood made to look like ducks.
Now I wonder what they are for
In a few minutes he found out. He
lower and look down the Big River.
Sammy looked too. He saw flock of
real ducks flying swiftly just above
the middle of the Big River. Suddenly
the leader turned straight toward the
place where the hunter was hiding and
the others followed him. He could
hear Mrs. Quack calling excitedly out
in the middle of the Big River. but
the strangers did not heed her. They
had their eyes on those wooden ducks
and were coming straight to join them.
They think they are real ducks. and
so this place is perfectly safe" thought
Sammy. He saw the hunter make
ready to shoot with his terrible gun,
what might happen to him he opened
his mouth and screamed at the top of
his voice He saw the ducks suddenly
swing out toward the middle of the
Big River and knew that they had
heard his warning. He saw the hunter
suddenly rise and point his gun at the
flying ducks. He heard the bang. bang
of the terrible gun. but not one of the
flock was hit. The distance was too
great Sammy chuckled happily. Then
he remembered that he himself was
within very easy reach of that ter
rible gun. and probably the hunter was
very angry. In great fright Sammy
turned and flew. lodging behind trees,
and every second expecting to hear the
roar of that terrible gun.
But he didn't. and SO when he thought
it was safe to he stopped. Now. in fly
ing away from the hunter he had fol-
lowed the Laughing Brook where it
winds through a sort of swamp before
it joins the Big River. Because there
was more water than could be kept be-
tween the banks of the Big River it
had creDt over the banks and all the
trees of the swamp were standing in
water. Just beyond where Sammy was
sitting was pile of brush on the
water. A Jolly Little Sunbeam dancing
down through the tree tops touched
something under the edge of the brush
and Sammys sharp eyes caught a
flash of green. Idly he watched it and
presently it moved. Instantly Sammy
was all curiosity. He flew over where
he could see better
Now what can that be-" thought
Sammy as he peefed down at the pile
of brush and tried to see under it,