"I see two of them," added Shep. He raised his gun and Giant did the same. Bang! bang! went both pieces, one directly after the other. The muskrats gave a leap upward and fell with a splash into the stream.
"We hit them, that's certain," said the doctor's son. "But they may get away."
Eagerly the boys rowed up to the spot where the muskrats had sat. Around the rocks the clear water was churned up into mud. But on the surface floated the two bodies of the creatures.
"I don't know what we are going to do with them," said Snap. "The skins are not very good this time of year."
"I couldn't resist bringing one of 'em down," said Shep.
"Just the way I felt," added Giant.
They continued on their way, and a few minutes later came to something of a cleared spot along the watercourse. Here Snap leaped up, shotgun in hand.
"Here's our chance, fellows!" he whispered. "All together."
He pointed to some low trees beyond the clearing. The branches were thick with quail. All understood and took up their firearms.
"I'll shoot high, Shep can shoot low, Giant to the left and Whopper to the right," commanded the leader of the club. "All ready?"